Ecomonic

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis
UNDV Conference
The International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations 4 - 6 May 2552/2009 Thailand
Editorial Board Advisors

The Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn (Thailand) Ven. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phra Srikhamphirayan (Thailand) Ven. Dr. Phra Wisutthiphattharathada (Thailand) Ven. Asst. Prof. Dr. Phra Suthidhammanuwat (Thailand)
Editorial Staffs
Ven. Dr. Khammai Dhammasami (Britain) Ven. Dr. Phramaha Hunsa Dhammahaso (Thailand) Ven. Dr. Phramaha Somboon Wutthikaro (Thailand) Mr. Dion Oliver Peoples (Thailand)
Preface Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) has been privileged to witness and play a crucial role in developing and hosting successful UNDV celebrations from the beginning in 2004/2547 to 2007/2550. The UNDV celebrations were held in Ha Noi, Vietnam last year; for this year, 2009/2552, the UNDV has returned. As always, we are all very grateful to the Royal Thai Government for its constant support, and thank the Thai Supreme Sangha Council for its blessings, guidance and support. We are indebted, also, to the United Nations for recognizing the thrice-sacred Buddhist holy day. It has been 2552 years since the death of our Great Teacher, and we have gathered here from across the globe, from many nations, to again pay tribute to his birth, enlightenment, and death occurring on the same day in different years. For the celebrations this year, the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU), created during the UNDV in 2007/2550 by the participating Buddhist higher institutions, plays an important role. The IABU Secretariat now, plays a major role in our celebrations, particularly in the academic programme of the conference. As part of the UNDV Conference theme Buddhist Approach to Global Crisis I am pleased that three Conference Volumes are published for the convenience of all participants, with the financial grant from my university, in time for the conduct of the panels and workshops. The various sub-themes of the panels are: Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis; Buddhist Approach to Environmental Crisis; Buddhist Approach to Political Conflict and Peace Development; and additionally included are the invitational workshops pertaining to the IABU Administration; the Buddhist Common Text Project, and Buddhist E-Resources and Network. In this volume are articles on one of Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis. This publication could not have been possible without the persistence, hard work, and dedication of MCUs scholars and staff. I wish to thank all members of the International Council for the United Nations Day of Vesak and the Executive Council of the International Association of Buddhist Universities, and the Editorial Committee for their devotion. I am also grateful to our many donors, sponsors and volunteers.
The Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn Chairman, ICUNDV & IABU Rector, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
Introduction First, as a man and the editor, I am humbled to be nominated to assist the 6th Annual United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations as the main editor for the conference publication on Buddhist Approach to Global Crisis. I must thank all of the Venerable and respected professors who have entrusted this endeavor to me. I wish that my enthusiasm and engagement into these articles will be warmly received first from the author, secondly towards the delegates and observers to the conference, and thirdly my aspirations aim to please the many readers of this publication. I admit that this text may contain several remaining grammatical mistakes, largely this is the responsibility of the author, but since many of our contributors are non-native English speakers, there might be a few problems remaining due to the short amount of time between issuing the call for papers [mid-January 2009], to the article deadline date [27 March 2009] to publication date [17 April 2009] - I had thus approximately three weeks to improve every article before presentation to the international Buddhist world, by 5 May 2009. Ive mentioned nothing about other behind-the-scenes efforts and nearly 1500 e-mails that made this text possible. Some fifteen articles were rejected for being non-thematic, redundant in nature (other articles covered similar material), were problematic or were just too poorly written to be included into our program and panels this demonstrates that we tried to give the Buddhist world the best possible presentation of viewpoints, subjected to our collective committees discretion. As the main editor, I was the focal-point of communication between the committee and the scholars often on the receiving end of several complaints and a few compliments. The UNDV 2009 Editorial Committee would like to remind these scholars of simple tasks, beneficial also for future occasions, that if: scholars could run the automated spelling and grammar check-functions on their computers, select the fonts recommended in the call for papers; have someone at their home-university re-read their work for errors and basically turn in more professionally-approved products, our work at the office would be a lot easier, and less frustrating. Instead, we worked hours into the next days morning for several weeks, missing holidays - on editing articles that should have been publishable when submitted. I have given much of my life to Buddhism, sacrificing my family, and professional aspirations of earning my PhD in Buddhism; and because I have worked on these papers that are truly the responsibility of the individual author, most of which have higher qualifications from my own I hope at least the Buddhist devas are pleased. Therefore, if there was any misrepresentation in any articles or through organizing these panels, may I be forgiven, for humbly working for you? I have tried my best, in a short amount of time.
Those familiar with our annual United Nations Day of Vesak Conference know that over the past few years, we have had more time to prepare, perhaps a few months, to arrange articles and engage in thorough editing. This was not the case for this years conference, the fourth that I have been involved in. I must take full responsibility. Ultimately though, what largely matters most, is that the various Buddhist leaders and scholars have pondered diligently to present to the United Nations, their individual visions towards solving global crisis through various manifestations; we therefore hope leaders can consider our proposals. Often in international settings, the ability to communicate matters means more than the grammatical intricacies. If someone said: Help! this can be enough, and through our observations we could learn exactly what would be needed or how to assist someone with the appropriate remedy. Some people seem to expect or demand our assistance. Help and advice can cut across many barriers, yet I have strove to present the best possible work, by all of our delegates across national, sectarian and even gender biases. Buddhism is for all, and all here are certainly for Buddhism. Below is, brief summaries of our accepted and collected voices:
Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis According to ancient Indian history, the development of Buddhism was due to the growing force of the merchant class that sought to gain control over an agricultural society. Such social changes enraged the militaristic elite resulting in new kingdom leadership and the enlargement or constriction of empires. Following the collapse of the modern, capitalistic-economic system, the world and marketstakeholders are looking for remedies to retain their preeminent positions. Buddhism might have other answers towards solving economic crisis, projecting their approach to this conflict that has reached every socio-economic category, across humanity. The papers presented in this section of the conference cover ancient theories and the modern adaptations. Angie Monksfield writes in her, Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis, that: people should follow proper disciplinary codes based on their social status. For Buddhist monastics, this entails following the Vinaya. Even before crisis appears, people need exemplary examples to follow, and these are becoming rarer, when people are not following their prescribed Dhammas. Bhikkhu Nandisena writes in his, The Current Economic Crisis: Diagnosis and Possible Solutions According to Buddhism, that: because human needs are unlimited, this illustrates the suggestion from the Buddha to reduce or eliminate cravings or greed. Modern economics is respected because of the scientific method, and Buddhism is respected because of its analysis of reality. Explicitly, economics separates humanity from resources, whereas Buddhism binds the subject and object as being interdependent. His solutions: there should be regulations to prevent greed from arising; and the universality of Buddhist teachings need to be taken to the globalized and interdependent world. His lesson concludes by urging the implementation of Buddhist conditions into governments that would suppress institutional greed. D. Gopalakrishna, Ven. Buddha Prakash, and M. Venkataswamy collaborate to write in, A New Model of Buddhist Economics for Peace and Prosperity- Conceptual Framework, that: since the communist and capitalistic system has failed, a Buddhist solution becomes ideal through examples in some case studies from Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, and a dated study from Myanmar. They propose a two-fold program that meets the materialistic wealth goals and reaches the spiritual attainments that Buddhists strive to balance. Dipti Mahanta writes in, Boonkamkhaoyai: An Exemplary Model of Buddhist Economy, that: the offerings by peasants of unhusked rice supports Buddhist projects and propagates Isan cultural initiatives. The author claims
participation in the merit-making is a true, but superstitious, exercise in Buddhist Economics and can be emulated by any culture. Peasants give the rice and monetary-gifts to the monks, who are entrusted that these gifts will assist society, rather than the monks themselves. Finally, other festive occasions are charted. Dr. Shengkai writes in, The Construction and Promotion of Buddhist Sufficient Economy, that: proper constructions and the promotion of sufficiency economics should be promoted, as a social responsibility. He follows some social theories, and emerges to suggest: that more contributions and thoughts can be made in the future after Buddhist economics is actually or fully employed. Frans Goetghebeur writes in his, Rather More then Less: From Addiction to Sobriety, from Suffering to Freedom, that: a reanalysis of capitalism is necessary from the top to the bottom of its structure. He calls for new ways of thinking, new ways of cooperation and new priorities. Society at the lower level needs to be more self-responsible. Gallelle Sumanasiri writes in his, Application of Fourfold Happiness in Buddhism to Economic Pursuits, that: we must mindfully manage our production and consumption. He mentions religious-thinkers have contributed much to humanitys philosophy, and suggests that any economic plan should be aimed towards global happiness. Heri Catur Meruvipassana writes in, Entrepreneurship: Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis, that: the goal of Buddhism is to eradicate suffering, and thus by relationship, poverty from the mental attitude of dependency towards independency. The paper advocates for the establishment of greater entrepreneurs for leading the world. Levente Szabados writes in his, Buddhism and the Economics of Mind, that: there is a global consciousness developing related to crisis. At the individual level, he suggests the twelve links of dependent origination as an important element in the cognitive process. He suggests analyzing stock market prices as a trend to determine crisis consciousness or utilizing market psychology. Manik Ratna Shakya writes in his, Buddhist Views on Economic Issues, that: overcoming laziness is the way of poverty alleviation. Governments should do more to ensure employment for everyone, provide loans to those in need; and his emphasis on right livelihood is suggestive of proper employment according to Buddhist Principles. Most Venerable Ashin Nyanissara writes in his, An Appeal to the Worlds Religious Leaders, that religious leaders must respond to the crises facing humanity. Disseminating or propagating the Dhamma is paramount towards eliminating
growing violence and chaotic circumstances. Leaders and the Dhamma must be adaptable to circumstances. His concluding appeal is very good advice. Naimbala Dhammadassi writes in his, The Modern Economic Crisis A Buddhist Perspective, that: the world has had a few great revolutions. The agricultural societies were driven off of their land and industries were created; European imperialism became the prominent economic system that brought along with it, Abrahamic religious traditions. Now we face a great moral, economic and environmental crisis along with the alienation derived from unrealistic relationships. Phramaha Somphong Santacitto, writes extensively in his, Dhammacakka as the Commencement of Proper Economy: Buddhist Perspective about a basic, but interesting history of the wheel as a symbol of economic progress. Furthermore, he illustrates the wheel of Dhamma, Dhammacakka as a progressive symbol of Buddhism. Soontaraporn Techapalokul writes in her, Happiness: A Deeper Meaning for Economic Development, that: neoclassical economists state that happiness is the aim of economically-minded humans, but there are some with higher ideals. Comprehending the Four Noble Truths are elements towards a new wholesome economic consciousness. Supriya Rai writes in her, Modern Economics and Buddhism: Issues of Compatibility, that: although Small is Beautiful was an important work, there are other models that are emulatable, under proper circumstances - but she demonstrates the difficulties in exercising a Buddhist-type of economy. Her final advice is lively university debates to assist in the actualization of exercising Buddhist principles. Thch Tm c writes in his, A Buddhist Economic Perspective in the Present-Day Global Economic Downturn, that: economic issues are a social or moral responsibility of humanity. He calls for a progressive revolution of values, protective of the ecological system and emphasizes that mediation eliminates delusions. Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle questions, repeatedly, in his A Buddhist Guide in Tackling the Challenges of Economic Crisis: how have extreme lifestyles and disciplined spending contributed to the crisis situation; and to what extent does Buddhism interplay into the scenario. He mentions that the Buddha was not an economist, but perhaps was someone keen to strike balances and rationality inside the lives of householders. State and citizen modesty and moderation are certainly key components. Ven. Piphitsutatorn Sirindharo writes in his, The Sacca Saving-Group: Buddhist Movement in Responding to Community Financial Crisis, that: a monk by
the name of Phra Subin Panito devised a Buddhist financial-savings model based from the listed Dhammas in his article. Wilis Rengganiasih Endah Ekowati urges in her, Victims and Being Victimized: Women and Consumerism, to unravel the structural violence and exploitation of women. Women, she claims, are the societal-element most affected by consumerism. This leads to demands on their husbands/lovers who in turn may engage in criminal activity to satisfy their female. Many females work in foreign nations working to send remittances to their families left behind. Again: women are still being marginalized in the 26th century of the Buddhist Era but mentions that the exploitation now is done through consumerism and blame. She does mention that the exploitation and institutional deficiencies are both intended and unintended which highlights social-structural imperfections, despite Buddhist nondualistic teachings.
Conclusion It is the hopes of our Buddhist traditions that the knowledge gained from previous United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations is built upon firm foundations. The 2005 UNDV Celebrations discussed: Buddhist Organization; Buddhist Education; Propagation of Buddhism; Protecting Buddhism; and Buddhism and Social Welfare. The 2006 UNDV Celebrations discussed: Perspectives on Buddhist Strategy for World Peace and Sustainable Development; World Peace; Buddhist Education; Dissemination of Buddhism; Protection of Buddhist Culture; Sustainable Development; and Buddhist Collaboration. The 2007 UNDV Celebrations discussed: Buddhism and Good Governance; Dissemination of Buddhism through Modern Technology; Preservation and Promotion of Buddhist Arts; Buddhist Meditation and Human Development, The University Symposium; and Buddhist Electronic Library. The 2008 UNDV Celebrations discussed: Buddhist Contribution to building a Just, Democratic and Civil Society; War, Conflict and Healing: A Buddhist Perspective; Buddhist Contribution to Social Justice; Engaged Buddhism and Development; Care for Our Environment: Buddhist Response to Climate Change; Family Problems and the Buddhist Response; Symposium on Buddhist Education: Continuity and Progress; and the Symposium on Buddhism in the Digital Age. This years 2552/2009 UNDV Celebrations discuss Buddhist Approach to Global Crisis; Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis, Buddhist Approach to Environmental Crisis; Buddhist Approach to Political Conflict and Peaceful Development; International Association of Buddhist Universities Workshop Seminar on Administrative Collaborations; Workshop on the Common Buddhist Text Project; and the Workshop on Electronic Resources and Networks. There seems to be many thematic continuities, which could represent the aspirations or directions in which international Buddhists feel important to negotiate. Hopes and aspirations are felt from everyone, and these articles selected by the editorial committee, we felt were the most relevant to our themes, backed by the knowledge of previous celebrations. Certainly, we all have room to grow, under these and other topics which have gathered attention and we also strive to move forward into new realms. Please take the time to read and consider these provocative contributions to global Buddhism.
Table of Content Preface Introduction Conclusion
The Worlds Crises and the Response to the Crises by Buddhist Economics Professor Dr. Apichai Puntasen, Experiences of the Ministry of Education in the Application of the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and Ethics in the Creation of Social Stability Dr.Preeyanuch Jariyavidyanont, the Inspector- General A Buddhist Guide in Tackling the Challenges of Economic Crises Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle Rather More than Less: From Addiction to Sobriety, From Suffering to Freedom Frans Goetghebeur The Sacca Saving-Group: Buddhist Movement in Responding to Community Financial Crisis Ven. Piphitsutatorn Sirindharo Entrepreneurship: Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis Heri Catur Meruvipassana Boonkumkhaoyai: An Exemplary Model of Buddhist Economy Asst. Prof. Dr. Dipti Mahanta Dhammacakka as the Commencement of Proper Economy: Buddhist Perspective Phramaha Somphong Santacitto, PhD Candidate
28
38
49
62
74
83
95
The Current Economic Crisis:Diagnosis and Possible Solutions according to Buddhism Bhikkhu Nandisena A Buddhist Economic Perspective of the Present-Day Global Economic Downturn Ven. Dr. Thch Tm c Buddhist Views on Economic Issues Manik Ratna Shakya Application of Fourfold Happiness in Buddhism to Economic Pursuits Ven. Prof. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thero Victims and Being Victimized: Women and Consumerism (A Buddhist Analysis) Wilis Rengganiasih Endah Ekowati The Modern Economic Crisis - A Buddhist Perspective Ven. Dr. Naimbala Dhammadassi Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis Angie Monksfield Happiness: A Deeper Meaning for Economic Development Soontaraporn Techapalokul A New Model of Buddhist Economics for Peace and Prosperity - Conceptual Framework Dr. D. Gopalakrishna, Faculty, An Appeal to the Worlds Religious Leaders Most Venerable Ashin Nyanissara Breathing and SmilingIn the Huricane of the Global Financial Ven. Thich Nhat Tu, D.Phil., Modern Economics and Buddhism: Issues of Compatibility Dr Supriya Rai
118
124
131
144
154
168
176
180
188
197
200
206
The Construction and Promotion of Buddhist Sufficient Economy Dr. Shengkai Buddhism and the Economics of Mind Levente Szabados
214
227
The Worlds Crises and the Response to the Crises by Buddhist Economics1
Professor Dr. Apichai Puntasen, Director, Rural and Social Management Institute
Prelude: Human-beings are now facing threats, leading to the extinction of human species, never happening before in the history of humanity as the threat originates from human actions alone. This threat comes from the so called problem of climate change or more correctly known as global warming. At the same time it can also be predicted that the world financial crises facing almost every nation, globally and severely at the moment, will take place more often within a shorter time span. The cause of the two major crises come from one common origin, namely, a human greed. As greed originates within a human mind, humanity collectively can solve this problem. The tool to deal with this problem effectively is through the clear understanding of Buddha Dhamma or the teaching of Buddha and Buddhist Economics, the subject derived from the teaching of Buddha blending into the subject of Economics developed from the West. The clear understanding of Buddha Dhamma and Buddhist Economics together with regular practices that lead human lives in the direction suggested by Buddhist Economics will lead humanity to be out of the said two major crises of global warming in a longer term and the world financial one of the immediate nature as well as a long lasting future.
Introduction of Money as a Medium of Exchange: The possible global crisis caused by global warming and the current financial crisis globally has their common root cause, namely, human greed. Although the technical aspect of the existing financial crisis globally can be explained in more complex details, its root cause can be identified clearly. The problem of everything starts from the introduction of money as a medium of exchange. However, money as a medium of exchange is not as bad in itself. It helped to facilitate exchanges that were rather inconveniently taking place under the barter system. As money serves as a common denominator that satisfies most parties involved, it can reduce one major obstacle in the barter system known as double coincidences of want. Those who agree to barter must have the mutual desire of the thing offered by the other. A person who has rice must want to have a chicken and a person who has a chicken
Professor Dr. Apichai Puntasen, Director, Rural and Social Management Institute (RASMI), Thailand Rural Reconstruction Movement Foundation (TRRM) under Royal Patronage. 30 April 2009.
1
1
|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis
must also want to have some rice, otherwise an exchange between the two will never take place. There is also a problem of a unit of exchange, in case a product cannot be divided into a smaller unit in a practical way. For example the rice owner only has one bushel of rice to exchange for a piece of cattle meat while the whole cattle is worth 100 bushels of rice - the owner of the cattle does not want to kill the cattle to give only a small portion of his cattle to the rice owner. As money is a common denominator, it can also serve as a unit of account to tell how much rice should be bartered for certain portion of the cattle. In case the owner of that cattle wants to exchange his cattle for 100 bushels of rice or many other things, to those who have a bushel of rice and want to have a piece of cattle-meat - he may decide to kill his cattle and exchange its meat for money and then use his money to buy rice and other things at his own convenient time. As money serves as a medium of exchange and a standard unit of account, it can facilitate exchange by making the process much easier. This marks the beginning of the era of traders whose main function is to exchange his goods for money and in turn using his money to buy goods from the others for sale. He makes his living by selling his goods dearer than what he has bought them. This way trade is stimulated to a greater degree, much more than from the time of the pure barter system. Unfortunately there was one set back to the development of a human mind, to a lesser degree from the time of a barter system. During this time the sense of sharing and caring were more generally prevalent than during the time of the exchange-system, through money. People bartered things without much considering of their monetary value of things. Most of the time, things were given to those who were in need without much consideration of value to the owners as long as the owners had their surpluses. It was part of the spirit of sharing as well as caring. Soon as money serves as a medium of exchange and a unit of account, wealth can be generated and accumulated through the accumulation of money. The spirit of sharing and caring in a human mind diminishes as surpluses can turn into money for accumulation, rather than giving away goods to neighbors. As greed starts creeping into a human mind, personal or familys security has a priority over the persons love given to neighbors. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) did not advocate for money to perform the function of medium of exchange. He explained that money as a medium of exchange tended to result in exchange value, the value to a commodity assigned to it by peoples desirability which was different from its use value, because of its usefulness to people. These useful things were necessities needed for survival and the higher values for the flourishing of life known as the good life. The good life is a moral life of virtue through which human-beings attain happiness. The economic dimension involved was the role in supplying wealth through the production process in order to meet basic needs as well as to attain happiness or the good
2
Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

life. On the other hand, exchange value is determined in the market and originated from the market demand driven by desirability. Such drive or desirability does not necessarily lead to good lives. It should be observed here, that the teaching of Aristotle was not much different from that of Buddha. Unfortunately, it was forgotten in the West as human minds became increasingly controlled by greed.
Money as a Store of Value: As most other things natural, money of the early civilizations could be degenerated or depreciated in value as some popular commodities are used as the common denominator or money. In order to satisfy human greed for accumulation of wealth, money was made to resume the additional function of the store of value. This function was more or less fulfilled after humans discovered that silver and gold were metals of relative scarcity, compared with bronze and iron in the bronze and iron ages respectively. Gold, especially, has its glittering shine that attracts human eyes. Because of their durability and scarcity, silver and gold values can be preserved or increased in later periods. Because of the said qualities, silver and gold were popularly used as money for a very long time. During the Buddhas time, silver and gold were already used as money in India and China, as well as in Europe during the time of Greeks civilization. It remain popular until 19th century, and it was gradually replaced by fiat money soon as gold and silver became relatively scarce commodities - at the time the concept and form of the nation states were firmly rooted on earthly principles since its origin in the 15th century. Paper money has been issued with the additional function of being legal-tender by governments of each nation state. Soon, money function as a store of value. Human greed for accumulation was completely fulfilled. As money can satisfy human desire through using money to buy anything that the owner of money wants to have, it serves as the genie from Aladdins lamp. This nature of money stimulates human greed to accumulate even more money as wealth, personal and family security. The spirit of sharing and caring - nurture, the most important part of humanity, has been vaporizing gradually. Instead of helping neighbors in times of need, accumulating money will satisfies personal greed as well as increases future personal security. It can be concluded that soon as money functions as a store of value - human greed was further stimulated.
Money as Capital: Money also serves as a store of value and medium of exchange. It can be used to buy anything, as its value will not depreciate. Traders in the old days discovered quickly that by buying cheaper than selling their products for profits, in the end, he would accumulate much more money than before - money could generate more money. In this way, money serves as a capital or a tool to make more money, especially through investment. This function of money helps stimulate human greed even further. In the old days, when barter was the predominant means for exchange, a rice farmer who produced more than enough rice to feed his family, had the tendency to give away his rice to his relatives or neighbors who had insufficient supply of rice for themselves - with the hope that at any time of his own difficulty, he would be reciprocated in the same way. With money as a capital, instead of giving the surplus to his relatives and friends, the rice farmer would sell his surplus for money and use the money to buy additional piece of land and produced more rice in order to sell more rice for more money. Such action is the result of increasing human greed facilitated by money as a capital. Soon as money has become a capital, human greed has been stimulated even more.
The Creation of Money: During the time that silver and gold served as money, whoever had silver and gold had money. Those who produced silver and gold created more money. Naturally traders or merchants were the ones who had more money than remaining parties in any country. The King of any country might have absolute power but could have relatively less money than merchants we see this in Buddhist texts. During those days, if the King must wage war, requiring a lot of money, he had to consider borrowing money from the merchants. As the King had absolute power, apart from collecting tax, he could gain more from trade monopolies or collaboration in trade with merchants. The creation of a banking system that receives silver and gold as deposits and issue credits to both depositors and borrowers was also beneficial. The banking system created more money from circulation than the amount of silver and gold in the entire previous system. In this way, amounts of money can be created more than the amount of silver and gold metal available at any particular period of time. As the economy of each country had become increasingly monetized, there was the increasing need to use more money in each country than the amount of silver and gold available. The government of each country created a national bank to keep basically gold, and issued bank notes - backed up by the existing gold deposits. Government can create more money by borrowing from national banks using its
4

letter-requested for borrowing as collateral. In this way, both the government and the banking system can create much more money than the actual amount of gold-bullion reserved at the national bank. In this way money can be created much easier than before. Money as a Figure: As the use of money keeps increasing at exponential rates, the amount of gold reserved in the national banks is always in limited quantity at any given time. It is not flexible enough for the increasing demand for money, used for transactions. For this reason, each county one by one, left the gold standard as a back up for its own currency. Each national government backed by each countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was then used as collateral for each national bank to issue money national currency was no longer backed by gold. It has been backed instead by foreign exchanges of some major economies. The reserve is no longer kept in the form of bank notes from various countries but figures in various accounts that are called foreign-exchange reserves. They actually imply the amount of investments of a certain government, in various forms of securities, abroad. At this time, those creating money are not only confined to the national government and the banking system, but all of those who involved in all forms of stock and security markets - their derivatives and many other forms of speculations are directed into future markets. Everyone who is involved in such market has the ability to create or to reduce the amount of money available at any certain period of time. At this stage, the money is completely divorced from reality or real production. Its creation or reduction has been subject to mass, or better known as: herdpsychology. If herd-psychology anticipates the bullish market or bullish situation, stock prices will increase and the total amount of money available in term of a figure will also increase. If the herd-psychology anticipates the bearish situation, the stock price will decrease and the total amount of money available in terms of a figure will decrease. Of course, under such situations, many more players can create or reduce the amount of money - the ones with more money (larger amount of figures), and more information will have the advantage. The small players, most of the time, end up being losers.
Money as a Commodity: At the time money was created as a medium of exchange - a relatively preferred and durable commodity chosen to be the medium of exchange. After it was changed into silver and gold, it was also a commodity but it was not meant to be traded itself. However, as money became paper money and gradually turns to be a figure reflecting the performance of the national economy that issues the money, its
5
value can be changed subjected to the economic performance of such specific county. When being compared with all other national currencies, its value can fluctuate by the relative performances of the remaining economies. In order to use money as a capital to make a financial gain or to try to maintain the purchasing values from holding of existing currencies, money of all currencies are also treated as a commodity that can also be subjected to trade and speculation. Such trade or speculation may be in line with the performance of the specific economy. It can also deviate from reality. In the process, it can harm the involved economy further if the economy involved is a small one. This was the case of Thailand at the time of the economic crisis in 1997. Therefore money as a commodity that can be used for speculation can be harmful to a weak economy while the strong hedging groups can make handsome gains.
Money as the Figure in a Cyber Space: As money has only been reduced to a figure, with the revolution of information and computer technology (ICT) that information can move around the world at the speed of light, this situation implies that money can move around the globe at the speed of light as well. The implication of such rapid move of money is that as soon as any hedging group finds the opportunity to make money anywhere, money will immediately move into such place. This situation usually takes place when any specific economy is showing the sign of well performance. The money that flows in, is aiming to share the benefits from such economy without much of its original effort. As the performance of that specific economy is close to the peak, in the opinion of the speculators, most money will flow out causing a sudden set back of that economy. Such behavior of the speculator is known as financial-tsunami. It comes in to take advantage of the well-performing economy and it moves out as that economy is anticipated to reach the peak. Its main incentive is to make as much money as possible in the shortest period of time. It has no consideration for whether the involved economy will suffer from its action - it is a purely selfish motivation or with a modified term of self-interest behavior explained by the mainstream economist.
Possible Financial Crisis within a Much Shorter Time Span: With the creation of money that has been transformed into a mere figure in cyber space, capable to moving everywhere in the world at the speed of light, at the same time money can also be created through hedging and speculating without much relevance to real economic sectors (actual production); clearly, the world financial sector is under a volatile situation. No one knows for sure how large is the financial
6

sector in comparison with the real economic sector, globally. This is because money can be created independently from the performance of the real economic sector. In theory, the value of the total amount of money cannot be more than the existing global assets and all the existing products from the existing production processes. Unfortunately, at the moment, there has been some estimation that the value of the financial sector is more than 500 times of the existing real products (excluding the existing assets). Under this situation, everyone who holds on to the figure called money must be at loss from the nature of its inflation. For those who wish to keep the value of their money intact or even to increase its value, they have no other choice, except to hedge or speculate on something that will result in the increase in its value, in the future. In the recent past, it was used to speculate in sub-prime assets under the name of investment - in the United States of America. It has been used to speculate on the future price of oil and gold, respectively in the global markets. Such speculation remains relatively less harmful so long as herd-psychology does not react. Soon as such speculation is spurred by herd-psychology, namely, everyone speculating in the same direction - the one who gets in later will tend to be hurt more and send the signal for a bigger crisis. If the crisis cannot be stopped in time, at its place of origin, it will contagiously spread as a global economic disease. This is why it can be predicted with high degree of accuracy - the future financial crisis will come at a much shorter time span each time as the result of the interaction of various natures of money that have evolved continuously to correspond with increasing human greed. The financial crisis also serves as a useful warning to increasing economic problems caused by human greed. If such warnings do not receive adequate attention, naturally the warning will be much louder as the time progresses. Human beings have become slaves of their own creation, known as: money - simply because money is the reflection of human inner greed and money has evolved to spur that greed further.
Another Crisis that will lead to the End of Humanity: A financial crisis, globally, only serves as a powerful warning to humanity not to be too greedy in accumulating figures that represent money beyond existing assets and products from the existing production processes. However, there is another severe crisis that can lead to the end of humanity also caused by the continuation of human greed and wrong economic theories. This crisis is known as global warning. It has its root cause from the quartet known as money-capitalism-industrialismconsumerism. The origination of money and its consequences have already been discussed in length. The remaining triad of capitalism-industrialism-consumerism should be further discussed in brief.
The triad first established roots during the time of mercantilism in the Middle Ages, and grew into a strong tree during the industrial revolution, coming into full bloom as consumerism during the age of high mass consumption in the decades after World War II. In the period of the last 50 years, the triad has led the world to a point very close to human catastrophe through rapid depletion of natural resources and destruction of an environment suitable for human life. The problem of climate change or global warming is only one among many problems created by consumerism. How has the human race been brought to the edge of this steep cliff without sufficient warning? In fact the warning was sounded in 1962 in Rachel Carsons well-known book: Silent Spring. As the first warning, it did not receive adequate attention - the voices of warning have become much louder as time has gone by. Unfortunately many have turned a deaf ear to these warnings and have continued their businesses of consumption as usual. Such ignorance is not without good reason. One of the supporting ideologies in mainstream economics known in disguise as consumption theory says that the more a person can afford to consume, so long as his utility from such consumption is still positive, the more that person will increase his utility even though the rate of increase of his utility is decreasing. Simply stated, the more you consume, the more you will enjoy even though your per-unit enjoyment will decrease with each unit of additional consumption; in other words: more is better. This theory is also supplemented by the belief that the act of following selfinterest is rational behavior. The sum is that greed is acceptable or even good human behavior. In reality, while greed by an individual may not be very harmful for society, the aggregate greed or societal greed can be fatal for all. One reason that the restraint of greed has not been encouraged in mainstream economics is because the concept of consumption-efficiency cannot be dealt with in a meaningful way, by economists. Strangely, while mainstream economics can to a certain degree, deal effectively with production-efficiency - it says almost nothing at all of the similar optimization of consumption. On one hand, mainstream economics keeps preaching on production-efficiency in order that input resources can be used optimally; while on the other hand, it ignores the concept of consumption-efficiency. It is hard to justify the optimal use of resources in the production process when wasteful use of resources in the consumption process is ignored. The wasteful use of resources through consumption is the major cause responsible for leading human beings to near catastrophe in spite of the loud warnings. This is the reason why we should contemplate, as well as try to understand and try to reformulate the concept of consumption efficiency.

Consumption Efficiency Can Only be Explained Meaningfully by Buddhist Economics: The term Buddhist Economics first appeared in 1973 in Schumachers famous book, Small is Beautiful. In his book, the concept of right livelihood drawn from the teachings of the Buddha was employed as his main theme to develop his counter arguments against mainstream economics and to articulate Middle Way towards total accounting and accountability. His initiative has become an inspirational alternative to economics ever since. Buddhist Economics is the fusion of two words, Buddhist and Economics. It is generally defined as the subject explaining economic activities (production, distribution, and consumption) with the aim for individuals to achieve maximum utility under the condition of resource constraint and for the society to reach maximum welfare under the same condition. Similarly, one can define Buddhist Economics as the subject that is derived from the lessons of the Buddhas discoveries on his path to enlightenment to explain economic activities with the aim for both individuals and society to achieve peace and tranquility under resource constraint. (Puntasen, 2005: p.4) The difference between Buddhist Economics and mainstream economics reflect different paradigms of human nature. Under the scientific materialism paradigm, mainstream economics observes that each human being normally follows his/her self-interest. Therefore, following self-interest of any individual is a rational behavior. Also, according to Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), the ultimate goal of human life is to avoid pain and to seek maximum pleasure. Pleasure in this case has been translated into economics as utility. Under this scientific materialism paradigm, the typical way for a human beings to gain more pleasure or utility is to have more material possessions. The term to have is very important. Humanistic economics, an alternative to mainstream economics, recognizes the faith in humankind and the belief in morality that grounds human values (Prayukvong, 2006). Utility can be improved not only to have, but also to be and to be related with without emphasizing to have as the only way for utility generation. Unfortunately, a humanist economist is still hooked to concept of self the same way as the mainstream economist. Economics also adopts the Darwinian Theory of the survival of the fittest to imply that competition leads to progress. Hence, the core values of mainstream economics (more popularly known as capitalism) are self-interest and competition. Because of such development of thought, mainstream economics defines pursuing of self-interest as a rational behavior - as it contributes to more generation of utility.
9
These core values fit very well with the concept of capitalism that explains capital as the mode of production. The only way to increase utility and welfare is to increase production in order to accumulate more capital. Capital can be accumulated from profit through more production given the necessary and sufficient condition that all products are sold out for profit. At the same time, to make sure that all products are sold out in time to insure maximum profit, consumption must be stimulated continuously through consumerism. As a result, capitalism, industrialism, and consumerism come in one package. The main purpose is for more capital to be generated through increased production and consumption. In this way, individuals achieve maximum utility under budget constraints and the society achieves maximum welfare. In a system of capitalism with industrialism and consumerism, one can visualize growth without end. Nevertheless, the increase or economic growth is limited by the amount of non-renewable resources and the carrying capacity of the globe for waste from production and consumption. In reality pushing for more production all the time will turn to be an unsustainable downward-spiral resulting in more waste generation and resource depletion causing environmental degradation and eventually: human self-destruction. As such, because of the nature of mainstream economics, consumptionefficiency becomes the key for the survival of humanity in a foreseeable future yet, this cannot be discussed in a meaningful way. Only Buddhist Economics can deal with this key concept in a meaningful way; it can actually save this world from the end of humanity and solve the immediate problems of the world financial crisis in much more meaningful ways.
Understanding Consumption as Production: Although mainstream economics prefers to differentiate a consumer from a producer, one can still use the framework of mainstream economics to analyze consumption from a different angle. Actually the process of consumption can also be viewed as a production process. Goods and services ready to be consumed can be considered as inputs to a production process. The outputs of this process are pleasure or utility and waste. From this angle, the consumer also prefers to have the least amount of inputs while achieving maximum pleasure. In this way, consumption can be viewed as another production process. Instead of being goods and/or services plus waste, outputs from this production process are pleasure and waste. In this way, one can apply production theory to consumption as well. More importantly, with this new way of looking at consumption, one can clearly discuss the concept of efficiency of consumption. It implies that one ought to produce maximum pleasure with the
10

lowest production cost. Mainstream economics rushes to the market system result in overlooking this important aspect of consumption that could lead to a more profound implication. For clearer understanding, the consumption process can be shown in the simple diagram below:
Goods and services (as inputs)
Production process to produce pleasure
Pleasure Waste
If the above diagram is explained in a Buddhist way, the output should be defined as the maintenance of a healthy body and a healthy mind, instead of pleasure or utility. Such output is a necessary condition for the further development of the mind in order to achieve sukha2 which is the desirable outcome from this process. In order to achieve such an outcome the ability to develop the mind is a necessary condition. The development must be achieved through the process of sikkhattaya.3 Given the above explanation, there is no difference at all between the production and consumption processes. Looking further at mainstream economics (with its unrealistic set of assumptions) and Buddhist Economics, we see that in both cases we are looking at a concept of desire where satisfaction of the desire is measured by pleasure. According to Buddha Dhamma, tah (specifically unskillful desire) can never be fulfilled; it can only be satisfied temporarily. Unfortunately, the attempt to fulfill the desire will generate an expectation for higher and higher levels of consumption. The mind always looks for what it imagines is better. With no better alternative, it may be temporarily content with what it has experienced but as soon as a new opportunity arises, the desire will escalate to a higher level. Mainstream economics has a different understanding. It only explains that as soon as the desire is backed up by purchasing power or credit that can be anticipated to be paid back in the future (demand) and is met by the supply it will be satisfied resulting in the pleasure of that consumer. The difference between the two thoughts of Buddhist and mainstream economics is that Buddhist Economics is based on a dynamic analysis of any event known as paticcasamuppda.4 Every result has its original causes and other related factors. The result at this moment will turn to into a cause of a future result. In a
2
(the quality of mind that is opposite to that of dukkha which means uneasiness, conflict, contradiction, alienation or suffering) 3 known as the three-fold training leading to having a purified or clean mind, and a clear mind 4 The law of causation
11
Buddhist analysis, the time dimension of past, present and future must also be considered. Generally, the analysis in mainstream economics is a static one. It can be clearly seen that static analysis often does not reflect the real world because time has been frozen. As such analysis does not reflect the real world; it is not capable of understanding everything in its own nature. A theory that is not based on reality can be considered as a wrong or incorrect theory. This problem is a major short coming of mainstream economics.
Sukha and Dukkha as the same thing in different degrees: A much deeper root of the difference between mainstream economics and Buddhist Economics than the difference in the use of static and dynamic analysis can be seen by looking at the meaning of the words sukha and dukkha. In Buddhist Economics, sukha can be explained in terms of dukkha. The difference between the two is only in degree. More dukkha implies less sukha and vice versa. Mainstream economics considers pleasure, (which most of the time is referred to as utility) to be the same as happiness. Unfortunately, happiness in English is not the same as sukha, which is an entirely different concept. The word happiness is closer to hedonism than sukha. In Buddhist Economics, hedonism is the same as kamasukha, or pleasure from acquisition. It is also known as samissukha. It is a kind of sukha that can eventually lead to dukkha, as it can generate a desire spiral. As soon as the desire is originated, the inner heat is generated while the desire has not yet been fulfilled. Therefore, satisfaction from the fulfillment of the desire is in fact the food for dukkha in the next round. If the production process is used as an analogy in this case, hedonism is the input in the process that produces dukkha. Therefore pleasure from acquisition cannot be considered as sukha as it leads to further dukkha in the next round. Anything that can lead to dukkha, cannot be considered as the state of sukha. As a result, in Buddhist Economics pleasure from acquisition should be correctly called dukkha. This difference between the understanding of pleasure in mainstream economics and sukha in Buddhist Economics is the main point of departure between the two. Such problems can be demonstrated with the attempt to solve the problem of poverty through the process of economic development with the hope that the growing economy will be accompanied by increasing income. As income for everyone increases, the ones who receive more income will have more happiness. This belief in the ability to achieve pleasure from acquisition in mainstream economics ultimately results in the rapid disappearance of resources and degradation of the environment.
12

Unfortunately, such anticipation has never been a case. In reality, all societies have an uneven distribution of political and economic power. Those who have more politico-economic power will receive more for consumption than others. Those who try to find sukha from consumption will never find it. Those who have fewer resources for consumption usually imagine that the ones who have more will have more sukha. As a result, those with less naturally demand a larger share of the resources. In the end the whole nation never finds sukha, even though the economic status of everyone and the gross national income has, in fact, increased. However, some people may end up in a better economic situation in relative terms. This effort though can never actually solve the real problem of poverty. This result comes from having a wrong theory to begin with. David Loy (1999: 46) used the analogy of grasping the snake by the wrong end. Loy suggested that the nature of this problem should not be identified as the problem of poverty but rather the problem of dukkha. Solving the problem of dukkha is much different than solving the problem of poverty. The problem of dukkha can actually be solved regardless of different politicoeconomic status. For a clearer understanding of this concept of sukha, it is necessary to review the meaning of sukha in Buddha Dhamma. Sukha consists of samissukha and niramissukha. Samissukha is the same as kamasukha. Niramissukha includes jhnasukha or sukha from meditation and nibbnasukha or sukha from complete emancipation. The goal of Buddha Dhamma or even Buddhist Economics is to encourage everyone to reach the stage of nibbnasukha. However, in reality it is almost unrealistic to hope for everyone to reach nibbnasukha when each one has different level of paa or the ability to understand everything in its own nature. Under the conditions of severe limitation of natural resources and environment, the level of niramissukha is acceptable. It is sukha from non-acquisition. There are various forms of sukha from loving-kindness (metta), from compassion for others (karun), from relieving dukkha of the others, from sympathetic joy (mudita) in seeing others happy. They all are the kinds of sukha from practicing the first three principles of brahmavihara or the four noble sentiments that most people can easily understand. Having sukha from such practice will at the same time reduce the desire for kamasukha.
13
Diagram 1: Definition of Sukha in Buddhist Economics.
Sukha
Samissukha (Kamasukha) Pleasure from acquisition
Niramamissukha Pleasure from non acquisition
Jhnasukha Pleasure from meditation
Nibbnasukha Pleasure from emancipation
Efficiency of Consumption: Without worrying about pleasure or sukha from acquisition, it can be easily understood that efficiency of consumption is similar to that of production, as a consumption process can be analyzed in the same way as a production process. Consumption and production can be viewed as the same economic process. As soon as the efficiency of production is understood, efficiency of consumption can also be easily understood in the same way. The fact that mainstream economics cannot explain efficiency of consumption as clearly as that of production is because the goal of consumption has already been set to maximize pleasure or utility rather than optimize consumption efficiency. It should be clear by now that such a goal is still in the realm of dukkha. A further question to be raised is how to consume without having anything to do with pleasure. At this point Buddhist Economics can provide the answer by looking at the meanings of the two words, needs and wants. It can be traced back to the explanation of Abraham Maslow where needs are classified into three levels, physiological needs, social needs and moral needs. In Buddha Dhamma, there is only one form or one level of needs; that is physiological needs. The other levels in Maslows hierarchy are not needed. They all can be accounted for through the understanding of paa. The word paa has no equivalent word in English. The closest meaning is wisdom, but wisdom is not the same as paa. Since about the 17th century, moral knowledge has always been taken into consideration with all other knowledge in
14

Western culture. Although the concept of samdhi or concentration has not often been mentioned, the word meditation in Western civilization can be used as a proxy for it. Therefore, before 17th century the concepts of knowledge or wisdom, morality and meditation together with total submission to God, were comparable to the concept of sikkhattaya. Without sikkhattaya there would be no paa. Without paa, social needs and moral needs arise for human beings, especially in a society where self is still the main focus. Maslows understanding has been gained through observation of human behavior without appropriate tools to analyze the mind. Under these circumstances, there is no way to explain how a human mind can be developed to the point that a person does not actually have social needs and moral needs. The understanding of sikkhattaya will lead to the understanding of the process of the minds development is raised by developing paa, sila and samdhi that will eventually lead to more accumulation of paa that will achieve the higher levels of Maslows needs discussed earlier. To summarize, according to Buddha Dhamma, consumption is needed to relieve the pain from physiological needs and is to be distinguished from the consumption for desires and wants (kammasukha). If a person has sufficient paa to understand that kamasukha is in fact dukkha, they will understand that consumption for kamasukha is not really needed. Consumption, informed by needs, can be considered the most efficient as it is the only consumption needed and minimizes resource consumption. The ultimate goal of most human beings is to be completely free from dukkha or to reach the stage of nibbna. The most direct way to nibbna is through the middle way or majhima patipada. This is the way that does not involve either of the two extremes (sensual happiness and self-mortification). Insufficient access to any of the four basic needs, namely, food, appropriate clothing, a living place and medicine is a cause of pain or suffering. Such pain must be relieved by consumption or the assurance that all those basic needs will be available when needed. In this way, that insecurity will be eliminated. When the sikkhattaya can be practiced without any feeling of insecurity, the pathway is cleared to develop the mind to a higher level. In this way then, samdhi can serve as a base for the generation of paa. Consumption to satisfy desire or craving is not conducive to this mind development. It only relieves craving temporarily, but stimulates craving to a higher level in the next round. It also promotes excessive utilization of limited natural resources. Thus, it is not a way to bring about true sukha. Such consumption is clearly inefficient. At the same time consumption that is inadequate to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind cannot be considered as efficient consumption either since it does not optimize the output of sukha.
15
Therefore, efficient consumption is consumption according to the principle of middle path or majhima patipada. This consumption cannot be analyzed by mainstream economics. That is because there is no analytical tool available. Without such a tool, one can be misled, resulting in a wrong or incorrect theory. The end result will be human catastrophe that becomes increasingly evident as time goes by. It should be observed that a certain level of paa is a necessary condition to being able to consume by the principle of the middle path. As a result, paa is a crucial factor for the most efficient consumption: that is, the least utilization of resources given the goal of being free from dukkha. The mainstream economic term that is closest to the concept of efficient consumption is cost effectiveness. It shares a meaning similar to efficiency of production but looks from a different angle. In conclusion even though a producer and a consumer can be different persons, the most efficient way that both processes can take place at the same time is that both processes must be controlled by paa. Since both processes depend on each other, the two processes cannot be completely separated. Apart from the reasons explaining why mainstream economics cannot adequately discuss efficiency of consumption while Buddhist Economics can, the real cause of the problem lies around the concept of self interest explained by mainstream economics.
Common and Different Explanation of Self-Interest: Mainstream economics defines self-interest as rational behavior for a human being. Mainstream economics can be described as a discipline based on self-created assumptions in a self-created world. It may have some truth but not the whole truth. The realistic part can be in common with Buddhist Economics but the assumptive parts naturally have nothing in common. All can be explained by the following diagram.
16

Diagram 2: The Difference in Degree Among Self-interest, Desire and Greed.
Necessity for having the four basic factors
Scientific Realm
Non-Scientific Realm
Self-interest Utility Positive economics Common area between Buddhist Economics and autistic economics
Desire Greed
Normative economics (Value judgment) Survival of life
Mainstream economics has its roots in material-based science. Anything related to matter and energy can be classified as the scientific realm. Things related to the human mind are considered as the non-scientific realm. This classification is based on physics that has been applied to economics, a subject that tries to be part of the hard sciences. This scientific realm is classified as positive economics. The rest is called normative economics. Normative economics is based more on value judgments, rather than solid scientific evidence. Things such as desire and greed are actually different than self-interest. This fact is well understood by positive economists. Unfortunately, the two terms are very difficult to differentiate from selfinterest using existing measurement tools. To simplify the analysis in a positive way, desire and greed are treated as value judgments and should be classified within the realm of normative economics. Self-interest is not always a bad thing. It is necessary for the survival of all living things. Thus, it has its place within positive economics. Such necessity can be measured by the need for the four basic factors for sustaining life. If any living thing has no self-interest to survive, it can no longer maintain its own species. For example, in the case of human beings, without a sense of self-interest, there would be no human beings left on earth. All of the knowledge useful to human-beings will
17
become useless. Hence, self-interest is both a necessary and a sufficient condition for valuing human knowledge. However, Buddhist Economics proposes an additional condition based on being free from suffering (dukkha): any action of self-interest must not cause any burden on oneself or anyone else. On the other hand, without adequate supplies of the four basic factors for the sustainability of life, there will be physiological suffering. The only way out of such suffering is for the needs to be satisfied. This form of suffering can also be called poverty. If a person is disturbed or anxious about survival, their mind can never be developed. It can be seen clearly that there is a common agreement on this sphere of self-interest by both mainstream economics and Buddhist Economics. The economics that is currently taught everywhere only pays attention to a material-based science without any attempt at further development based on mindbased science; it has decided to ignore the part that it considers inaccurate or nonmeasurable. Hence, the concepts of desire and greed are ignored, and the only relevant concept remaining in economics is self-interest (diagram 2). All activities related to desire and greed as well as needs as are treated as self-interest. By ignoring reality, economics deliberately distorts fact. The subject is no longer able to reflect reality. Because of this fact, mainstream economics should instead be correctly called autistic economics.
18

Diagram 3: The Making of Autistic Economics
In order to make economics into a material-based science, the scientific realm is extended.
In mainstream economics the definition of self interest (needs) is expanded to include desire and greed. The inability to recognize and acknowledge such different concepts as need, wants/desires, and greed and then lumping all of them into the concept of self-interest and describing the motivations of this self-interest as rational is, in fact, an irrational practice. If everyone were greedy, the world would not be a happy place for human beings to live. Greed should rather be considered as an irrational behavior and should not be explained as a rational undertaking. The differences in the understanding of human-motivation results in the clear distinction between autistic economics and Buddhist Economics. The inability to validly measure desire and greed hardly justifies their inclusion into a category (selfinterest) that implies necessities for basic survival. This is not rational and not the correct way to represent human behavior. It can be demonstrated in Diagram 3 how the inclusion of desire and greed changes the acceptable view of consumption. In the real world most things exist in continuum. Each one has it own core that can be clearly observed to be distinctively different from the others, the same way as throwing a stone into still water in the pond. The stone will break the water at the point of contact and create a noticeable wave moving outward in all directions. The waves diminish and eventually
19
disappear. (In reality however, the mainstream economics stand of maximizing consumption implies that the wave never ends.) As a result, it is very difficult to clearly define the limit of each concept with clarity. However, material based sciences want to define everything with clear, specific and precise definitions. It cannot adequately deal with things that exist in a continuum. This kind of thought results in denying the reality of the world. However, if we are really talking about self-interest as only self-interest that is physiological survival, efficiency of consumption can actually be clearly identified. The amount of consumption required to eliminate the human suffering caused by poverty (defined as lack of the four essentials required for survival) can be calculated by measuring or estimating the survival requirements for food, clothes, shelter and medicine for persons based on age, gender, climate and that persons health status. Consumption at that amount should be considered as efficient consumption. Sukha in a human being does not come from consumption beyond the point of efficiency but from paa, the ability to understand everything in its own nature, as explained in great length in Buddha Dhamma. The encouragement of consumption beyond the point of consumption efficiency is a clear difference between Buddhist Economics and the mainstream economics also known as autistic economics. Self-interest in Buddhist Economics has a clear cut-off point (needs), while mainstream economics also includes wants and desires.
20

Diagram 4: A Clear Demonstration of the Power of Buddhist Economics Explanation of Consumption Efficiency
In reality, everything exists in a

Efficiency of
Devastating Consumption
Self
D i
Combined Production and Consumption for Sustainable Development and Increased Wellness: After looking at these production and consumption concepts of Buddhist Economics, one can link all of them together. This linkage will demonstrate the conditions for sustainable development as well as improvement of wellness in society. It should now be evident that wellness or sukha does not come from consumption. Consumption only serves as a process to provide for the basic necessities and the elimination of the pain due to their absence. Without this level of consumption (sufficiency), there would be a negative impact on the further development of samdhi and paa. Consumption beyond sufficiency will stimulate tanh (craving or more desire). Apart from being the cause for dukkha or suffering, excessive consumption will also lead to the wasteful use of resources, or inefficient consumption.
21
The real wellness or sukha of a human being results from the development of paa through sikkhattaya. It is not a linear development but more like a virtuous spiral that will not return to the origin spot but will uplift the mind and paa to new levels.
A Cross Sectional Diagram of Sikkhattaya
A Vertical Vision of Sikkhattaya
It can begin from the lowest level of paa. At this level, it is not necessary for paa to be able to understand everything in its own nature. It may begin from samaditthi (having right view or understanding). For example, a person may begin with having a faith that good conduct within the framework of sila will result in good living or wellness. Having practiced sila, the result will be a more stable mind with fewer disturbances by kilesa. The mind can be more concentrated or have more samdhi. As the mind becomes more focused, it will have the power to learn or to understand things much easier. One of the most useful things to be understood by the mind on the part of paa is aniccata or impermanence. This understanding will lead to the understanding of dukkha, conflict or contradiction from within or outside. Dukkha also results from holding fast to something that is impermanent by its very nature. Dukkha is a conflict or contradiction from not understanding the true nature of things and trying to enforce permanence, which is an impossible task. With a clearer understanding, one will accept anatta, the situation of void or nothingness, and not try to act against the nature of things. This way living will become consistent with nature. Conflict or contradiction against nature will decrease. The less conflict, the more wellness there will be as well as more stability in the mind. Sila also becomes a normal condition. The more one lives according to sila, the more the mind will work at its normal pace, will be stable and be better able to concentrate so as to better understand things in their own nature. Such training of the mind will lead to less dukkha and less dukkha implies more sukkha or wellness. Under this method of training, eventually one will live the purified life of the purified sila. The mind will
22

be completely stable, calm and full of concentration or the achievement of samdhi. At this stage, paa will always illuminate a much clearer understanding of things. This is the stage of having a purified mind, a calm mind and an illuminated mind at the same time. It is the mind that attains the state of nibbna. It can be clearly seen that sukha or wellness can be developed from sikkhattaya and this is not directly related to consumption. Consumption only serves as a necessary condition that enables us to live in the way of majhima patipada or the middle path. The true wellness or sukha can only result from the development of paa through the rigorous training of sikkhattaya. Having gained a clear understanding of these related components in Buddhist Economics (production, consumption and wellness or sukha), Diagram 5 can be used to see the way that one can achieve the conditions for sustainable development and the improvement of wellness through the development of mind.
Diagram 5: Consumption and Production Theories of Buddhist Economics. The system of production and consumption providing the conditions for sustainable development and promotion of a peaceful life.
When net goods and services produced are more than enough to maintain the existing system of production, sustainable development and the reduction of conflict of contradiction yielding a more peaceful body and mind is the result. Excess production can be used to reduce the pain and suffering of those who need it. With the help of technology, production efficiency can be improved.
23
The above diagram demonstrates the interaction of production and consumption in Buddhist Economics that can eventually lead to a peaceful life or nibbna and sustainable development on the production side. Paa is the mode of production in the sense that it controls all input factors ranging from human resources to man-made resources and natural resources. All these resources can be further divided into brain and muscle power for human resources, and energy and other natural resources for natural resources. Man-made resources are the product of human intelligence and energy and other resources that can be either renewable or non-renewable. Paa will in turn control human intelligence in a way that manmade resources are produced only in a creative and positive way and natural resources should be used I such a way that non-renewable resources are used minimally. All these are aimed at producing products most needed for production needed to sustain lives with minimum amount of harmful waste. Production in this way is considered to be the most efficient production in Buddhist Economics. It can be seen from this diagram that the consumption process, the first part yields net products to be used in consumption through the assumption that part of the products can be used to clean up waste from the production process. The second part is waste resulting from the consumption process itself. Consumption in Buddhist Economics is not to gain satisfaction as explained by mainstream economics but rather for the maintenance of the physical needs of human beings as well as the physical production process to continue on it own course. The goal of the whole production process is actually to produce wellness that eventually leads to the state of nibbna. The main emphasis in this diagram is a circular flow of goods and services for the maintenance of the whole production process. The nature of this flow will indicate whether the system is sustainable or not. In the diagram, paa serves as the main control mechanism of both production and consumption. What ought to be emphasized in this diagram is that no matter how paa has been used in both production and consumption processes, unsustainable development could still be one of the possible outcomes. This can result from inadequate resources due to their deterioration to the point where they are insufficient to maintain the full functioning of the system. It might also take place in a very difficult environment that cannot actually support a human life. It could also be caused by the fact that the technological development of the community is not at a sufficiently high level, for example, in some difficult areas on the earth or on the moon. In these cases the survival of human beings must depend on external sectors that still have surpluses to support the non-viable system for a certain period of time while waiting for the improvement in technology. In these cases self-reliance might come later on.
24

The second case demonstrates base-line sustainability. In this case goods and services available are just sufficient to maintain the system to continue at the existing level. It is the likely case where the existing resources and the level of technology (resulting from human intellectual ability) if human intelligence is used well under the control of paa. It is the most likely case because at the moment the resources have already been used beyond their natural renewal rate. The sustainable scenario is possible when paa is the mode of production. The global awareness of unsustainability is the factor that will stimulate human paa to take control for the common survival of all beings. However, in reality, if resources can be improved through continual development of technology the third case will be the most likely one where the net product exceeds the needs required for maintenance of the system. The surplus can be used to support those who are still in pain or dukkha caused by having inadequate resources to maintain their basic needs (those who are still poor in the true sense). The wellness of this group can be improved from the existing surplus. If the surplus is still excessive, it can be used to improve the existing environment and eco-system as well. The efficiency of production factors can also be improved from the said surplus. The real wellness of human beings only depends on sikkhattaya, which is a separate process but directly related to paa. Paa also controls production and consumption processes in this diagram as already discussed. Please observe the twoway arrow-head between sikkhattaya and paa. It demonstrates the dynamism between the two concepts. The two represent the possibility to solve the current crises that is causing great damage of resources and the environment on earth by both the production and consumption processes. Without any attempt at improving the existing situation, the whole system can easily move in the direction of selfdestruction. The only way out of this undesirable situation is to develop global paa in this system as rapidly as possible. Having analyzed production and consumption under the framework of Buddhist Economics, it can be clearly seen that peace and tranquility can actually be achieved with sustainable development. The rest is how to apply such a framework to the real world. Action toward such an idea seems to be formidable. Nevertheless, the light already appears at the end of the tunnel. The most important task is to develop sikkhattaya into an actual operating tool that will result in much more improvement of paa. At the same time transformation from capitalism to paa-ism must be accomplished as soon as possible.
25
Epilogue: It can be seen quite clearly that without Buddhist Economics, consumption efficiency cannot be discussed in the much more meaningful way because consumption is considered as the only way to increase utility. Fortunately, in Buddhist Economics it can be seen quite clearly that consumption only servers as means to attain the higher goal of sukha. Sukha does not derive from consumption, after consumption have already reached or passed the point of consumption efficiency. With such understanding consumption can be kept at the level of necessary minimum. At the level of necessary minimum of consumption, there will be more surpluses available for all lives that have insufficient for their biological or physiological needs. This way, the world will be in peace with minimum use of world resources. On the other hand, greed does not lead to sukha it will lead more to dukkha as greed only generate anxiety for having more for apparently no good reasons. With consumption efficiency, accumulation of money and wealth more than a level of personal and a familys security is not needed. The role of money will be left to its own natural roles without much interaction from human greed. Caring and sharing or compassion, the good nature of human mind will be restored. Financial crisis globally can be largely avoided at least it can be contained at the outer boundary of the country that adheres to Buddha Dhamma and Buddhist Economics. However, in order to avoid the end of humanity before its own natural course, global effort in changing from the triad of capitalism-industrialismconsumerism is necessary. The worst of the triad is consumerism. Future survival of humanity depends very much on our ability to change our behavior and attitude from consumerism to consumption efficiency, collectively and globally. This part remains to be a big challenge for humanity.
26

References Carson, R.L. (1962): Silent Spring. Colborn, Zed Books in association with PAN UK, London, 2003. Loy, David R. (1999): Buddhism and Poverty. Kyoto, Journal, 14, 46. Maslow, Abraham. (1970): Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper and Row. Prayukvong, Wanna (2006): Buddhist Economics and Thai Sufficiency Economy Model: Beyond Schumachers Initiative. Puntasen, Apichai. (2008): Buddhist Economics: Evolution, Theories and Its Application to Various Economic Subjects. A translated version of selected chapters from his book in Thai (3rd Edition), Bangkok, Amarin Press, 2004, published by Centre for Buddhist Studies. Chulalongkorn University. Schumacher, E.F. 1973. Small is beautiful, economics as if people mattered. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
27
Experiences of the Ministry of Education in the Application of the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and Ethics in the Creation of Social Stability
Dr.Preeyanuch Jariyavidyanont, the Inspector- General
The world today is passing through rapid change and the root cause lay in the economic crisis that has changed social phenomenon and the way of life .Many problems are obviously seen at the nations and also the global community such as violence across borders, the upsurge of terrorist attack, violation of human rights, global conflict-reaching the war, etc. I do appreciate a website written by an American gentleman which presented his idea on the economic crisis that it could sum up the cause of our current economic crisis in one word as Greed by giving an example of the mortgage lenders were happy to lend money to people who could not afford their mortgages with higher interest rates and make more money on sub-prime loans. If the borrowers default, they simply sized the house and put it back on the market. ..when too many borrowers could not afford to make their payments, it causes the lenders to suffer. The beginning with failures in economy caused by misapplication of risk controls for bad debts, collateralization of debt insurance and fraud, large financial institution in the United States and Europe faced a credit crisis and a slowdown in economy activity. The impact rapidly developed and spread into a global shock resulting in a number of European bank failures and declines in various stock indexes, and large reduction in the market value of equities and commodities.( The Business Journals ,2008)
Social conflict every where: The Associated Press Report in March 2009 stressed the mention of Mr. Dennis Blair the Director of National Intelligence that the economic weakness could lead to social and political instability in many developing nations such as, Ireland, Iceland, France, the U.K. and Greece have experienced street protests, when economic downturns and peoples against the fiscal stimulus due to budgetary or financial constrains.
28

In January 2009,hundreds of thousands protested in France against President Sarkozys economy projects. Prompted by the financial crisis in Latvia, the opposition and trade unions organized a rally against the cabinet of premier Ivars Godmanis. And turned into a riot. In late February many Greeks took part in a massive general strike because of the economic situation and they shut down school, airports and many other services in Greece. Asian countries have also seen various degree in protest. Rallied in Moscow to protest the Russian government s economic plans .Protests have also occurred in China as demand from the west for exports have been dramatically reduced and unemployment has increased..the global financial crisis presents a serious threat to international stability. My country, the Bank of Thailand cut short- term interest rates by a half of a percentage point, though it is ongoing efforts to jumpstart the economy, but the customers lost benefit when the deposited rates or the savings deposits is low. More serious is that the closing down of businesses and enterprises and bankrupts among big businesses has created the high rate of unemployment day by day. Many peoples have rigid cash on hand. They are now suffering. Economic put some pressures and severe atmospheres that make people face the difficulty .Such as the poor people have to pay more engagement in economy, seeking job and fighting for survival. Many workers leaved their children with relatives without any good care. Survival is also highly needed among peoples of all groups. Life is miserable and how can anyone live on a miserable atmosphere. It could say that economic crisis today make the real root cause of problems and conflict in family, social groups, nation and international countries.
Economic crisis has changed the peoples thoughts on the way to live: Obviously, the economic crisis causes of the change habits of people such as lost of confidence of trust, selfishness, more self-concerned, greedy mind, hatred, conflict of interest, lack of morality, low public consciousness, etc. There are likely to be tensions and personality clashes in family, community and particular social groups.
How to make people gain happiness: When the Buddhists get suffer, they will go to temples asking for blessing. They believe that a persons present situation was the result of past acts, thoughts, and feelings in this life and previous ones. The effects of a persons action carry on beyond the present life into future lives Therefore, meritorious acts in the present life
29
will result in rewards in future lives. It could say that the result of ones actions lead to positions interims of wealth and best ethical actions. The Buddhist Organizations and the Temples cold take this opportunity to play a crucial role in helping them to overcome the economic crisis through the teaching and practicing Dhamma.
Gain of happiness needs to get rid of the suffering: The Four Noble Truths summarized that the cause of suffering is craving (attachment) There is a way out of this suffering that called the Eight Path which consisted of three types of activities as, moral conduct: mental discipline and wisdom. People needs to gain happiness during the phenomenon of economic crisis which means to feeling good, enjoying life and feeling it is wonderful.( Richard Lanyard 2003, in Professor Dr. Apichai Puntasen paper on issue why Buddhist economics is needed as a new paradigm for a better understanding of happiness ) Buddhist approach to economic crisis could focus upon three areas: accumulating wealth through hard work, diligence and setting certain restrains on ones own consumption: sharing wealth honesty acquired with family friends and the sangha ( Gregory k. Ornatowski, continuity and Change in the Economic Ethics of Buddhism Evidence from the history of Buddhism in India,China and Japan.) Abdul- Nadir Ba Jamal ,Prime Minister of the Republic of Yemen gave an interesting speech at the International Symposium on Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations Sanaa, Yemen 10-11 February 2004, the world today is passing through and determination, rapid change and swift successions of events, the most obvious being those that have resulted from the prejudices which seek to cancel out others, to impose their nihilistic brand of ideas and to prevent human civilization and cultural values from becoming the building-blocks of internal national unity, of peaceful social coexistence and of a safe and stable future that safeguards common ground and peace for all of mankind. He commented that the Europeon, American, Arab and Islamic presence at this international forum reflects a desire to show that they are united in one destiny, to bond multiple human experiences, of love and conciliation, from the exchange of material and moral benefits, and from the enhancement and to manifest our keenness for fruitful cooperation among our peoples and national institutions in all fields. To
30

his idea, it points out that the religions and politics could create peace through dialogue. This suggests to the Buddhist Organizations to learn how to use a strategy of dialogue to find out an efficiency approach to economic crisis. At international level the Buddhism could play widen role through the global countries and also performing international network with other leader religious organizations and political leaders to organize a plate form for an international dialogue among civilization to seek world peace. Buddhism is an inspirable thought therefore it could create and interaction and merge of civilizations for intellectuals and advocates of a harmonious human approach. Buddhism can create a platform for dialogues among peoples across the regions.
How to help people: I believe that under the economic crisis atmosphere, the peoples throughout the world will face the difficulty to live, some have lost the wisdom of reason. I also believe that the Buddha doctrine could enrich human experiences and promote an awareness and help people to prepare their mind by having a self confidence, being able to avoid strained and calm their nerves and feeling in security.
Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis : P.A. Payutto in his book the Pali Canon:What a Buddhist Must know commented that religion involves practice, a way of living ,or useful application in real life. Buddhism teaches a way of life which ultimately leads to the goal of final deliverance from suffering, can be seen as the resultant virtue, progress or growth, constitutes ones life in the ability to get rid of greed, hatred and delusion and one has to train oneself in morality, concentration and wisdom His comment reflects the function of Buddhism as the teaching provider or the transformer of knowledge and ethics. Therefore, the approach to economic crisis can be in many ways as at national level, teaching Dhamma could develop through media program for the public, teaching and training Dhamma and Meditation for a particular group by camping, school network program on Ethics Education for students, Buddhism non-formal education program for adults and outside school people. The theme of teaching may focus on how to live within the phenomenon of economic crisis, seminar and platform for Buddhists to share knowledge and
31
exchange experiences of how to approach economic crisis, camping on Dhamma and Economic solution, etc. Buddhism could play a crucial role and join the responsibility in finding approaches to economic crisis by making a global human understanding by ways to overcome obstacles on implement concrete actions. The Mid-Path may be one of the approaches to be implemented under the crises. It sets of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts. The Buddhas great contribution to human being, his teaching a harmonious world begin in the mind helping all living being to break through delusion and cohesive awakening to rid suffering and attain happiness, to free from suffering by understanding the true nature of phenomena, The number of Buddhists in the world approximately about 500 millions that get affect from the crisis. They should be helped to be free from suffering through the practice of the Mid-Path that they have already learned from the Buddhas teaching but they need to have more spiritual practice than usual.
Buddhist Approach to Education in Thailand: In Thailand, the 15-year National Education Plan (1997-2011) emphasizes on the integration of Buddhisms teaching in all aspects of the quality of life, including comprehensive and balance human development and the forging of a society of morality, wisdom and learning. One of strategic goals regards as human development with a focus on knowledge, happiness, health, a loving family, a pleasant environment, a peaceful and caring society. The Thai National Education Standards emphasizes the important of physical and mental health, knowledge and skills sufficient for leading a meaningful life and social development, self adjustment, social skill, righteousness, public-mindedness and consciousness of graduate students. This has proved that Buddhism has inspired in all stages of educational plan and policy. Buddhism has inspired the education administration of Thailand by including the Buddhas disciplines in all stages of administration through the integration of the mainstream of the educational plan and administrative regulations and disciplines. To help the nation in economic development and to prepare people ready to live with self confidence under the fierce of economic crisis, the Ministry of Education has decided to put a compulsory practice of all educational level through the important projects called the Promotion of Sufficiency Economy and the Ethics lead knowledge. The projects are mainly concerned the implementation of the
32

Buddhas teaching and the implication of the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy that leading the students to learn how to make a balance of living within the atmosphere and circumstance of economic crisis. For the Ethics lead Knowledge, it sets of the students standards as to have desirable characteristics as diligence, economizer, faithfulness, disciplines, politeness, cleanness, solidarity and hospitality. It should mention that, education in Thailand has made an effort to be at an international standard and to develop education in adhere with the global movement and visions. And in terms of making education for peace and for economic gain by means to strengthen the students capacities and to empower of the education management, Thailand, as one of the Unescos Member states has adopted the key ideas on the organization of education for peace and ethics which the Unesco convinced that education policies have to contribute to the development of understanding, solidarity and tolerance among individuals and among ethics, social, cultural and religious groups and sovereign nations. Education must be based on principles and methods that contribute to the development of personality of pupils, students and adults. Thailand has agreed to such ideas and using the Buddhisms doctrine as an instrument to reach the visions.
The Notion of Sufficiency Economy of H.M. the King of Thailand Leads to Achieve Human Progress and Economic Stability The following presentation will focus in particular issue on Sufficiency Economy and Ethics which is implemented by schools and institutions under administration of the Ministry of Education aiming at building a capability of students in skill works in order to help family in earning ,also to develop human resource readiness for economic and social development and stability. Sufficiency Economy is a philosophy that stresses the middle path as an overriding principle for appropriate conducted by the populace at all levels. This applies to conduct starting form the level of the families, communities, the nation in development and administration so as to modernize in line with the forces of globalization. Sufficiency means moderation, reasonableness and the need of self-immunity mechanism for sufficient protection from impact arising from internal and external changes. To achieve this, an application of knowledge with due consideration and prudence is essential.
33
Economic development must be done step by step. It should begin with the strengthening of our economic foundation, by assuring that the majority of our population has enough to live on. Once reasonable progress has been achieved, we should then embrace on the next step, by pursuing more advanced levels of economic development. Here, if one focuses only rapid economic expansion without making sure that each plan is appropriate for our people and the condition of our country, it will inevitably result in various imbalances and eventually end up as failure or crisis as found in other countries.(His royal speech in 1974) The philosophy of Sufficiency Economy encouraged by H.M. the King of Thailand, which is based on the main teaching of the Buddha on Middle Path. It represents a guideline and a framework of economic thoughts and puts a comprehensive integration into the actual plan. Emphasis is also for the development of individuals as the center of human progress. The notion of Sufficiency Economy is to achieve sustainable development and well-being for each and every human being, especially for the people of the Kingdom of Thailand. By the application of above theory, the people will be capable to build well-balanced life style as well as to develop in the areas of economy, politics, environment, and education. The ultimate goal is to promote people to behave themselves and to gain self- happiness by practicing the doctrines of the Middle Path and finally, reaching the serene society.
Sufficiency Economy: Direction of the Ninth-Tenth National Economic and Social Development Plan to Overcome Economic Crisis: The National Economic and Social Development Plan (2002-2011) adhered to the Royal philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, which H.M. the King of Thailand had graciously bestowed It is accepted that the Sufficiency Economy is based on the Buddhism philosophy which make the combination of economic practice and Ethics to achieve the development of Thai people. In relation to this, the Ministry of Education which is as one of responsible organizations has to do the implication of the National Plan to be in concrete practices Therefore, it could say that the National Educational Plan has inspired by the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy. The Ministry of Education has assigned and made the compulsory for the schools and institutions to formulate an actual project and put the plan to implement activities by conforming the Philosophys guidelines. Some achievement of project in schooling could be drawn to illustrate how worth and values of the Buddhism and the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy in timing up of economic crisis.
34

Experiences of the application of the Sufficiency Economy and Ethics: In 2009, the Ministry of Education carried out some researches to find out the achievement in the implementation of the Sufficiency Economy and Ethics Project which was conducted in 2008. The results were found as the following examples: Pasanusorn School at Thonburi province, launched the Student Savings Project aiming at practicing the students to spend money with care. For many times the Ethic Camp were conducted with close cooperation and assistance from temples by sending monks to act as resource persons and trainers on Dhamma issues. This school also keeps encourage the students, parents, teachers, employees and neighbors to take examination on Buddhist-Dhamma Suksa by believing that people will keep calm and gain happiness when their mind are pure and silence. Tantrarak school at Cholburi province, applied the concept of Sufficiency Economy aiming at improving a self-immunity of student from /against economic crisis by being able to live in the security atmosphere with mutual trust and respect among them . Strategic approach was to launch a School of Buddhist Way Project focusing on the transfer of knowledge and ethics. The students had to learn how to behave and be a reasonable and acceptable person. They had to practice in the context of good culture and dignity of being a Thai citizen. The Buddha- Dhamma (tri-sigga) is integrated into overall subject taught. Khonkaen Vitayakom School integrated the concept of the Sufficiency Economy into main subjects taught. It organized the project called Bank of Goodness. It also acted as a focal point and Center for Sufficiency Economy Development. Thairahtha Vidthaya School 99 at Bangbon district, Bangkok, launched agricultural program conforming the concept of the Sufficiency Economy as plant of flowers and fertilizers. The students had to learn how to earn and to learn how to be a reasonable consumer. Gudgwang Prachasarn School at Konkaen province, launched various activities as animal raising, school credit union, School of Buddhist Way, handicrafts, etc. The total of 890 schools and institutions have been conducting the Sufficiency Economy projects and Ethics since 2008. The Ministry of Education concluded the results and outcomes in 2009 as the students have changed behaviors with high quality standard, showing good heart and disciplines and sharing responsibility in household work as well as in schooling, taking good care for others and having good health and happiness.
35
At administrative level, the administrators expressed high interest and provided a continual support in formulating a policy and plan, meanwhile, they acted as a model of self reservation and ethical performance with staff and stakeholders in a good manner. Result in term of living: 1. the students could control the way of living, by keeping themselves in good discipline in term of expenditure, consumption and utilization of leisure time. 2. the students could be able to have self-control by managing to overcome the external force/influence such as the inspiration from western external materials. From observations, the students have become devotees. They improved a conscious minded, sincerity, honesty, generous and kind hearted, spirituality, trust and patience.
Conclusion: We, Buddhists believe that the Buddhism could play a crucial role in finding out some effective solutions to overcome economic and other crisis in worldwide. Buddhism is able to teach people to live with modesty, to improve the mind to refrain from unlimited desire, competition and struggle to get economic power. The noble teachings of the Buddha and the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy of H.M. the King of Thailand are best approaches to help people to learn how to live with happiness within the phenomenon of global economic crisis. Finally, we wish to request and appeal the leaders in all sectors of the global to negotiate among them and to carry out the religious dialogue in order to create a concreted result by making people to learn how to live with sufficient economy and to build a social and political harmony among different nations and cultures in the world.
36
Remark: How to yielding concrete results full commitment of and resolute action by all Buddhists organization concerned. How the Buddhists could practice the Middle Path to achieve a selfreliant. How the monks could act as effective teachers as well as Psychologists and consultants
37
A Buddhist Guide in Tackling the Challenges of Economic Crises
Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle Bath Spa University United Kingdom
Introduction Credit crunch1 and economic recession2 are quite familiar words in todays media across the world. This crisis language sends shock waves to politicians, economists, businessmen and the public. The current problem, known as credit crunch, began with problems in the repayment of mortgages in the United States, which created issues concerning lending practices around the world in July 2007.3 The house prices in the UK sharply fell and Northern Rock Bank ran into financial troubles in September 20074 and was eventually nationalised in February 2008. The impact of credit crunch on the UK economy has been severe and it has marked a 28% drop in wealth held in housing and equities; it has erased 1.9 trillion of UK household wealth since July 2007.5 In the context of this financial crisis, consumers noted a price squeeze since commodity prices rose rapidly in 2007 and 2008 due to increasing demand from China and India and, as a result: petrol, food and other basic necessities became more expensive. Inflation forced central banks to cut interest rates to ease the effects of the credit crunch. The collapse of Bear Stearns in January 2008 further increased fears and the financial crisis proper began with the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008.6 It followed a UK bailout of banks including the proposal to merge Lloyds and HBOS in October 2008.7 The UK bank rate was slashed from 4.5% to 0.5 between October 2008 and March 2009, the lowest rate since the British Central Bank was formed in 1694. In this global crisis, without any discrimination, Asian and European economies have already confronted severe set backs in the face of growing economic recession. The international bodies such as the International Labour Organization of the UN predicts severe set backs in world economic growth in 2009, most economies
Credit crunch means an economic condition where there is a short supply of cash (credits) to be loaned to businesses and consumers. 2 A general slowdown of economic activities over a period of time is identified as economic recession. 3 http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2238606/credit-crunch-costs-britons (accessed on 25 March 2009). 4 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6996136.stm (accessed on 25 March 2009). 5 http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2238606/credit-crunch-costs-britons (accessed on 25 March 2009). The credit crunch costs 40,000 for each British adult. 6 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/sep/15/lehmanbrothers.marketturmoil (accessed on 25 March 2009). 7 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7621151.stm (accessed on 25 March 2009).
38
1

having less than 1% growth. The Global Employment Trends report of International Labour Organization observes: The global financial crisis has triggered a serious slowdown in world economic growth including recession in the largest industrialized countries. Enterprises have stopped hiring and many are laying off workers in considerable numbers.In 2008, an estimated 6.0 per cent of the worlds workers were not working but looking for a job, up from 5.7 per cent in 2007.In many developing countries well over half of the workforce is employed in conditions that fall short of decent work, and breaking out of such situations is at the core of the global development challenge set out in the Millennium Declaration and its poverty-reducing goals. This report utilizes working poor and those in vulnerable employment (i.e. unpaid contributing family workers and own-account workers), which are workers most likely to be characterized by low and insecure employment, low earnings and productivity to help better understand labour market trends in developing economies. By the end of 2008 working poverty, vulnerable employment and unemployment were beginning to rise as the effects of the slowdown spread. If the recession deepens in 2009, as many forecasters expect, the global jobs crisis will worsen sharply. Furthermore, we can expect that for many of those who manage to keep a job, earnings and other conditions of employment will deteriorate.8 The implication of current financial and economic crises on the personal level is that world wide 51 million people would be unemployed compared to 2007.9 The immediate problem for most economies in this situation is that the millions already in extreme poverty will increase. There emerges a serious humanitarian issue of people undergoing utmost pain and suffering under unbearable poverty. Some serious questions that we can raise with regard to the economic crises are the following: To what extent, have extreme materialist lifestyles contributed to the present economic crises? To what extent, a disciplined consumerism can contribute and enhance our ability to tackle the drawbacks of the economic crises? What lifestyles does Buddhism encourage to overcome economic crisis while responding to consumerism and materialism? How should we rethink of existing economic strategies in light of the challenges of economic recession? Should we adopt and implement more sustainable economic policies as a remedy to current crises? To what extent, can spirituality aid us in overcoming the negative impact of economic recession and tackle successfully the worldwide economic crisis? What remedies and strategies can one find in the Buddhist teachings to rectify the current
8 9
Global Employment Trends January 2009 (Geneva: International Labour Organisation, 2009), p. 7. Global Employment Trends January 2009 (Geneva: International Labour Organisation, 2009), p. 19.
39
economic crises? How can we analyse Buddhist economic principles to draw inspiration from them to face the challenges of the economic crises? What are the Buddhist visions of economics and economic affairs? How can we use Buddhist teachings to identify specific defects and root causes of the current economic crisis? My central concern is how we can respond to the current global financial crisis from a perspective drawn from the teachings of Buddhism and inspired by Buddhist frameworks that are in use in Buddhist societies. How can we make Buddhism meaningful in difficult circumstances such as the economic recession? To what extent, can we draw inspiration from Buddhist teachings and practices? How can we persuade Buddhist societies that we can apply some of the Buddhist teachings in minimizing suffering caused by economic crises? This paper aims to find resources within Buddhist teachings and practices in tackling the challenges of economic crisis that the entire world is facing today. First it will identify the key Buddhist teachings of virtues such as simplicity, efficiency, frugality that will help a person to minimize the negative impact of economic recession. Second, it will identify the complexity of the economic problem at hand that requires a careful understanding and analysis of the economic conditions and business practices that led to the recession and the relative significance of religious teachings in it in aiding to resolve the problem indirectly by adopting a purely spiritual orientation. Third it will explore the potential of Buddhist teachings and practices in handling difficult economic situations with mindfulness and positive attitudes to work, lifestyle and towards a re-evaluation of ones expenses and outgoings in order to develop healthy and sustainable life style.
Buddhism on the Modern Economic Recession Like any other religious group, Buddhists are also very quick to highlight that Buddhism is relevant and capable of handling economic crisis that we face today. To be effective, any Buddhist perspective on modern economic recession has to be grounded on a realistic analysis of ground reality in the globalised world today. None of the economies in the modern world today are anymore independent from each other; they cannot operate independently from each other but instead are forced heavily to rely upon each other for a variety of transactions. For example, the reliance of various economies for oil makes them dependent on each other. This volatile nature of present economic affairs in the global scale means that the current globalised aspect of modern economy can be hardly envisioned or found in the Buddhas days, which was primarily based on agriculture. The modern economic affairs have moved from agriculture based economies to a complex system of largescale economic activities that geographical or national boundaries cannot be clearly
40

laid out. The economic process itself has become complex over the centuries with the use of technology and fresh introduction of controlling as well as freeing devices when such measures are required. Buddhist teachings on economic affairs, in this context, become only seeds of useful thoughts in addressing some critical questions related to basic issues of personal and collective lifestyles and organising meaningful measures for effective use of personal expenses. Highly theoretical and idealized versions of Buddhist interpretations of economics derived from strict readings of textual passages in the Buddhist canons as found in many traditional Buddhist traditions today will not go too far in handling the present economic crisis effectively since the current economic problem itself lies in a broader context of business relationships, management practices and economic policies of governments and of banking industry. It must be frankly stated that the present economic challenge requires quite sophisticated skills and talents in handling the crisis.
Making meaning of Buddhism for economic stability and Healthy lifestyles It would be useful to identify economic themes and business affairs discussed in the Buddhist teachings and practices. What kind of recommendations can we derive from Buddhism for the social welfare state and its governance? How such a state must attend to the issues of economic development, economic crisis management, and extending the welfare programmes of the state and nongovernmental organisations? Can we delineate a distinct Buddhist perspective and angle on these issues? There is no doubt that both Buddhist texts and practices support the fact that Buddhist values and lifestyles stand for simplicity. We can understand this emphasis, for example, by reflecting upon monastic practices in all Buddhist countries. When Theravda monks and nuns consume food they have to contemplate that their meals are just for survival and aids to enhance their daily religious practices. The second of the five reflections, for example, states: Carefully, with proper care, I use my food, not for sport, not for manly vigour, not for ornamentation nor for adornment, but only for the purpose of standing and sustenance of this body, to take non-delight in hurting, to help me to live the holy life.10 This emphasis on simplicity can be clearly seen in Theravda and Zen monastic practices related to meals. In the Korean Zen practice, the meal chanting is elaborate and its purpose is clear in religious terms:
Lionel Lokuliyana, The Great Book Protections (Singapore: Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, n.d), p. 9.
41
10
Calculating how much effort [went into producing this food], we contemplate on where this [food] came from. We reflect on whether our own virtue is worthy of this offering. Our main task is to guard the mind and leave behind faults, such as craving, and so forth. We correctly consider that the salutary medicine [of food] will save our bodies from withering away. We should receive this food in order to complete the task of enlightenment.11 Though these are monastic values in todays Buddhist monasticism, at one time (not long ago before the globalisation), when Buddhism was the dominant ethos of Buddhist civilisations, they may have shaped and guided the central aspects of Buddhist lifestyle for efficient use of economic resources available for their use. The contemporary situation in Buddhist societies is quite the opposite of what is expected from the Buddhist traditions. Nowadays, Buddhists in all major Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Korea and Japan, for example, are heavily engaged in enhancing the collective capitalist values including extremist materialism, consumerism and fast-food culture. Neither Buddhists nor their societies in which they operate in nowadays cannot be blamed from an absolutist point of view today that they have departed from the Buddhist teachings and values cultivated by their respective traditions. But indeed there is a challenge for the Buddhist today: on the one hand to adhere to traditional values espoused by the tradition and adapt and move with the rest of the world while responding to challenges that come on their way. In the face of economic crises, the real challenge for us, who are gathered here today and those who live Buddhist societies, is how we can make Buddhism and its teachings meaningful for a generation that is caught up in the credit crunch and financial crises where all economies whether Buddhist or not, are equally affected and the collective economic karma of ones own making or that of making of others, perceived whether national or international or corporate, enhances human suffering across the globe without any discrimination or limiting to certain geographical or national boundaries.
11
Robert E. Buswell, Jr. The Zen Monastic Experience (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), p. 234.
42

Values in Coping with Economic Crises: Buddhist Responses In native Buddhist languages, there are many indigenous terms that Buddhists have used in the past and are continuously using today to refer to crisis situations. The late Professor Gunapala Malalasekera had attempted to translate the English term crisis into Sinhala language using three Sinhala expressions: (i) arbudaya (crisis), (ii) ugrvasthva (grave condition), and (iii) it avadnam tattvaya (extremely dangerous condition).12 One of the Pli terms that refers to the results of crisis situation is pad (literally, misfortune, distress, calamity).13 There are also other explanations of crisis situations. Though not envisioned in global terms such as the current financial recession, the historical Buddha had occasionally reflected upon the lifestyle of the householder and instructed how a householder must respond if he (or she) encounters a crisis in ones financial means. The Buddhas attention had been on the aspect of proper management of financial resources. If a householder lacks the experience of controlling and managing ones financial means in terms of making proper expenses and as a result mismanages financial resources that person experiences serious financial crises. In a discussion of Buddhist responses to economic recession, the most relevant are the Buddhas teachings to householders rather than to the monks. As a group, the lay persons are identified as those who enjoy the pleasures of the sense (gih kma bhogino). They lead household lives by raising families and fulfilling family and community obligations to those around them. The Buddhas teaching did not directly focussed on lay peoples lives and did not plan to regulate their lifestyles in the form of giving them a strict of conduct or a collection of laws. The moral teachings that the Buddha gave to the lay people enabled them to lead a content and healthy lifestyle. For understanding the Buddhas teachings to lay people, there are several Buddhist discourses in the Pli canon; they briefly refer to lay ethics of the householder. Among them, the Siglovda Sutta, which is identified by its commentary as gihi vinaya (the householders discipline), stands out as an important early Buddhist reflection that help us consider and discuss the Buddhas views on the management of financial resources. While the success of this world and next world is an important part of the Buddhas worldview, material welfare was an important foundation for cultivating
G.P. Malalasekera, English Sinhalese Dictionary (Colombo, M.D. Gunasena, 1978), p. 214. A.P. Buddhadatta Mahthera, Concise Pali English Dictionary (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1994), p. 42; M. Cone, A Dictionary of Pli (Oxford: The Pali Text Society, 2001), p. 308.
13
12
43
the spiritual wellbeing. They are closely connected in laypersons life. The moral guidance that the Buddha gave was intended to strike a balance of the two trends. As a manual of ethical guidelines for the householder, the Siglovda Sutta14 illustrates some of the ways that a householder can ensure ones material and spiritual happiness while enjoying family life. These guidelines will be useful in developing a guide for a modern Buddhist to deal with the financial crises. Some of the guidelines that the Buddha proposed to the householder Sigla to ensure financial stability are quite fascinating. These appear to be preliminary guidelines to ensure financial stability in the face of difficult situations and achieve happiness in life while consuming material and spiritual benefits. The Buddha advises: Young householder, when the disciple of the noble ones has given up four defilements of action, does no bad deed from four causes, does not pursue six ways of losing his belongingswhen he avoids these fourteen bad ways, it is then that he covers the six directions. He is set to be victorious in both worlds: he gains the success of both this world and the next world What are the six ways of losing ones belongings that he does not pursue? Young householder, being devoted to the recklessness of strong drink and spirits is a way of losing ones belongings; wandering in the streets at unseemly hours is a way of losing ones belongings; frequenting fairs is a way of losing ones belongings; being devoted to the recklessness of gambling is a way of losing ones belongings; being devoted to bad friends is a way of losing ones belongings; being habitually idle is a way of losing ones belongings. Young householder, there are these six dangers in being devoted to the recklessness of strong drink and spirits: the diminishing of any wealth, increased quarrelling, a whole range of illnesses, ill repute, exposing oneself, and weakening of the intellect as the sixth.there are six dangers in wandering in the streets at unseemly hours: one is defenceless and without protection, ones wife and children are defenceless and without protection, ones property is defenceless and without protection, one is suspected of being up to no good, false accusations are made against one, one encounters all sorts of misfortunes.there are these six dangers in being devoted to the recklessness of gambling: if one wins one engenders hatred, if one loses one bemoans the things lost, ones wealth diminishes, ones word has no authority in an assembly, one is despised by ones friends and companions, one is not considered a desirable marriage partner, since the gambling man
14
D.III.180ff.
44

does not have the means to support a wife.there are these six dangers in being devoted to bad friends: one has friends and associates who are gamblers, drinkers, drunks, cheats, liars, and ruffians.there are six dangers in being habitually idle: one thinks, Its too cold and does no workAnd with all ones tasks still undone, one does not get what one does not have, and what one has dwindles away. These six directions should be seen as follows: the east should be seen as ones mother and father, the south as ones teachers, the west as ones wife and children, the north as ones friends and companions, the direction below as servants and workers, the direction above as ascetics and brahmans.15 This sutta can be considered as a very preliminary guideline for managing wealth by avoiding waste; it shows that the Buddha considered the importance of wealth for ones success in lay life and its potential for opening avenues for further progress. Like the Siglovda Sutta, other Pli canonical texts such as the Vyagghapajja Sutta16 extol the virtues of hard work, honesty, austerity and shows importance of savings and have become very popular among Theravda Buddhists. The Buddha never claimed to be an economic theorist. Nevertheless, he was very much concerned with economic security of the householder. He valued the economic security of the householder (atthi-sukha). In relation to economic crisis and Buddhist responses to it, Buddhism has an important contribution to make in terms of its analysis and evaluation of economic processes. Broadly speaking, the teachings of the Buddha provide some useful guidelines to conduct our lives. One of the key such instruction is the adoption of a balanced perspective. As human beings since we can rationalize and respond effectively to adverse situations once we develop a balanced perspective to identify the problems and adopt a proper analysis of the conditions in order to implement successful ways and means in overcoming difficult situations. Crisis situations are often effectively managed and resolved with reflective thinking and proper adoption of strategies in resolving crises. A proper attitude to life is extremely significant in responding to crises effectively and overcoming them. This requires a proper understanding of the true nature of things around us. Throughout his life, the Buddha has reminded us and taught us as his central teaching that everything within us and around us is subject to change. Constant change whether momentary or a transient phenomenon that occurs
Rupert Gethin, Sayings of the Buddha: A Selection of Suttas from the Pali Nikyas (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), p. 130-32. 16 A.IV.281ff.
45
15
over a long period of time is a natural order of all impermanent things.17 This includes also the economy, business practices and management styles of our private lives as well as that of larger corporations. Since everything is subject to change, our relative situations in a given economy or context is also going to change. Since everything is in a state of constant flux, the only thing that we can be sure of is the constant change occurring in everything within us and around us. This realistic approach to things in the world requires us to cultivate proper attitudes towards the world and affairs of the world in order to overcome crises. One of the attitudes that Buddhist teachings attempt to cultivate in all Buddhist traditions is to educate us to cultivate certain life skills. For example, since ups and downs in life are quite common, as successful persons we must learn to accept whatever that comes our way. In a volatile economy, when there is an economic recession, it is more likely that many jobs will be cut due to down-sizing and many workers will be laid off. Loosing jobs can be a great shock for us and we may face unfortunate economic disasters. Once we understand the workings of global economy in times of economic recession, it can be no surprise to us that in a world where every affairs whether economic or not are transient in nature, there is less that we can do to fix it in a shorter term. We need significant changes in our attitudes and lifestyles. From a pragmatic Buddhist perspective, what is more important and required from us for living well and happy is to learn ways and means of cultivating attitudes of steadfastness and sharpen ones ability to face boldly the turbulence and ups and downs in life with even-mindedness. The difficulties that we encounter in our lives often present new and challenging opportunities for our development, growth and learning. There may be new opportunities for us to develop potentialities. Beyond facing the challenges of the changing economic conditions, a crisis situation can be used as a teaching session to ourselves. A crisis can offer an opportunity to reflect upon our lives and things that we do for our living. The acute demands of the day will push us to think twice and take a step back, reassess our priorities in life and work, questions our values related to wealth and material consumption, and reevaluate the significance of cultivating a value system that can sustain us in difficult situations. Economic recession gives us an opportunity to make an honest assessment of our basic needs. We can rethink of our budget. Ones daily and monthly spending must be determined by ones necessities. Some expenses that we bear casually in
Mahinda Deegalle, The Central Buddhist Doctrine of Anicca: A Unifying Category in Understanding Buddhist Traditions in Sri Lanka and Japan, Symposium on Buddhist Studies, (ed.) K. Rahula (London: Thames Meditation Society, 2003), 182-193.
46
17

healthy economic situations, which are partially or fully encouraged by fashion, persuasion and advertisement, must be thought out twice before making purchases. If cash is deployed on extravagances, that should be limited to a minimum. An economic recession is a time that we can adopt hard resolutions on where money should go in; we cannot just let wealth disappear in vain. Avoiding extravagant spending is a key to overcome negative effects of economic recession. We can also be hard on the amount of waste in our everyday lives. If we reflect on how much we waste, we can restrain our expenses and can remain within reasonable limits of expenses. Tightening the economic belt may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. What better time can we have to cut down on unnecessary entertainment, drinking, smoking and other extra comforts? When a challenge such as the economic recession viewed from a right perspective, we all can develop proper understanding of the problem; it develops within us an insight to tackle it effectively without being frustrated. As religious communities, if we act wisely and efficiently to handle the economic crisis, though the economic crisis is real and in the process of unfolding with severe repercussions, we may find ways to tackle them with a healthy mind. Todays financial crisis is a result of complex factors such as unhealthy lending practices, mismanagement of financial services, and unhealthy lifestyles. In guiding Buddhists to face the adverse effects of the financial crises, Buddhism would identify a range of causes and Buddhist response to them will propose a multiple approach; a global problem like this cannot be resolved by one approach alone. It needs and demands diverse and multiple approaches and solutions.
Conclusions: In responding to economic crises, the strength of Buddhism lies in the cultivation of attitudes. The best Buddhist response to economic crises is in the development and education of people in cultivating positive attitudes and conducts that can handle such crises. In tackling the financial crises, Buddhism may require certain minimum virtues from our daily life in order to make us successful. One of the most important virtues is living within ones means and leading a content life. It is important to be responsible for ones actions and avoid over consumption and wishful life. One should not make ones life burdensome by taking loans that one cannot afford to pay back. There must be also modesty in ones lifestyle; we must refuse blaming others for over-consumption but guide them towards a content life. Since the financial crisis is a global one, its solution largely depends on global initiatives. One state or one
47
person cannot do the dramatic change. Economic giants believe that neither one country nor one economy can resolve the problem. It needs a global coalition. The crisis has global issues at hand so that it needs global response. States must work together with other states in order to respond to it and solve it. There is also a human dimension to the crisis and that human factor must be taken into account. The problem of trust in business matters plays the key factor here and religions can help in cultivating truthful attitudes to business and management practices.
48
Rather More than Less: From Addiction to Sobriety, From Suffering to Freedom
Frans Goetghebeur President of the European Buddhist Union I. All or nothing? 2500 years ago the Buddha made it quite clear that suffering is everywhere and this is still true today. Even amongst the rich: in the space of one year the number of millionaires has been reduced by a third. In 2008 a billion dollars went up in smoke and these people have lost 23 % of their financial reserves. No small amount! And thats before we consider the losses of the hundreds of thousands of small savers. I would rather have much than too little. I never have enough. Two contemporary thoughts that have a destructive effect on our minds and on our relationships not to mention the negative effect they have on our planet. There is a saying which translates as: wanting two when you already have one opens the door to the devil. This misunderstanding, this form of avidya or ignorance, this misbehavior is what we are referring to when we speak of the causes of the economic crises in Buddhist terms.
The end of the old world order: A serious dent in the self-satisfied armor of western civilization then: the collapse of her economic and financial structure which have proved to be extremely unreliable. The principles of globalization with its free markets and open borders have been dealt a crippling blow. We have seen crises such as the tulip bulb hysteria of the 17th century, the stock market crash of 1929 and the dot.com crises of the year 2000, but unlike in the previous crises, this present crisis has raged around globe with the destructive power of a storm striking everything in its path. In Buddhism we call this existing in dependence/interdependence. The stride of globalization means that not only do Japan and China have the US in their power but also that precisely because of economic dimensions of the crises, everyone has been affected. So here we are: some speak of a fatal evolution from saving- to debt capitalism, others speak of the end of casino-capitalism. The question is whether we
49
can ever come to a correct form of capitalism: the French president Sarkozy who headed a congress in Paris called New world, new capitalism seems to think we can. If that is so we will have to re-think everything: from top to bottom -- and we will have to work on a new world order in earnest. This call echoes in from every segment of our civilization.
Away with liberalism! People are quick to seek someone to blame and will, therefore, always find a scapegoat. Nowadays everyone is very keen to pin the blame on liberalism. Collectivists and proponents of state controlled systems believe that liberalism caused this crisis. Ecologists blame liberalism for global warming. And conservatives even blame liberalism for the decline in moral standards. There might be an element of truth in all of those positions but it still leaves a lot still to be said. Emptiness and interdependence are Buddhist concepts which prevent people from falling into such confrontational opposing camps or conflictual reasoning. Such positions are always sterile and unhelpful because everyone can find reasons to believe that he or she has the right end of the stick. Emptiness and interdependence remind us that nothing occurs or exists in and of itself (nor could one thing alone be responsible for anything else), and that everything should be seen as a conjunction of many factors and influences. Remembering this helps us to see the situation more clearly and makes it possible to describe the situation more accurately. For as long as can be remembered, confrontation and conflict, accusation and punishments have always led to little else than more trouble. These are repetitive arguments, behavioral ruts, and long-outmoded paradigms which do little to improve the situation. Einstein rightly stated that the thought processes which caused the problem cannot be used to solve it.
The past and the present Westerners have short memories: the post-war reconstruction was barely over before people began to believe that you can sell anything regardless of how worthless it might be -- as if there were no limits, as if there were no link between cause and effect. Ten years ago, Alan Greenspan sounded the alarm about the irresponsible lack of realism amongst the business leaders and speculators and in particular he warned against the irrational enthusiasm of business gurus. The virtual profits were always many times greater than the actual core business. Enormous risks were being taken and mountains of debt were being created. These would eventually
50

needlessly endanger the small mans employment, savings and pension. And now we are faced with exactly those problems. Karma teaches us that the causes can be recognized in the nature of the results: insane causes produce insane results.
Plan of action Specialists are investigating the origin of the crisis. Actuaries are taking initiatives to lessen its impact. Banks, it is said, must be saved. Others call for a new boost to the economic sector. Or the north-south divide must be addressed. Or stringent controls of the world trade organizations tax system is whats needed, to support ethical investment and fiscal credit, to bring ethical competition in the market, the control of social, ecological and ethical labeling, to replace the dollar with a truly international reserve currency, etcetera, etcetera.1 The question remains however as to whether all these analyses and proposals are just cosmetic measures. Or as we Belgians say: putting a band-aid on a wooden leg. Do we still lack a firm statement about the true causes of the problem? Who is to say? And how does Buddhism see the situation. Or what did Senator John McCain mean when he talked of the greed of Wall street?
II. The actual situation Diagnosis Everyone agrees that the following factors which are rooted in the logic and culture of capitalism itself played a role: The continuous growth in production and consumption. Many damaging results have ensued from this idea: the profit principle, the creation of growth markets, the manipulation and misleading of consumers by an unscrupulous marketing and advertising industry,
One of the most interesting reactions to the crises has been the measures outlined by Jacques Attali. The leading French economist working with a team of 43 experts and 100 professionals was asked to elaborate 300 key decisions to change France. After meeting with many politicians, they drew up a set of steps and instructions for urgent and fundamental reform. The outlined plan focussed on general and social mobility, efficient government, better public management, curtailing unemployment, more housing, less poverty, more small- and medium-sized businesses, the reduction of public debt, facilitating access to the internet, modernisation of the economy (especially in terms of regulating competition and distribution), cooperation with unions, payment for jobseekers, the espoir banlieux plan for cleaning up the suburbs, etc. quite a list indeed. Not long ago such a plan would have led to sarcasm, now its understood to be bitter necessity.
51
environmental damage through the exploitation of nature, the degradation of truly human factors whereby the welfare of future generations is not taken into account. Greed is the first poison mentioned by the Buddha. Instability and imbalance on many levels are structural and systemic in a capitalist economy. They are inherent to the system. The creation of monopolies based on the the winner-take-all market system, the separation of capital, assets and labor cause social inequalities. (Virtually all of those listed in the Forbes 400 wealthiest people in America derive their primary income from the ownership of capital and other forms of income-earning property, not from wages and salaries.) Insane competition can lead to aversion, in all its forms: the second poison. The invisible hand of the Growth Imperative and Environmental Damage are systemic as a widespread instinctive conviction in the existence of an Order of Things. Everything will be alright used to be the refrain. This led to the perversion of the whole system because it was assumed that there would be no moral control and no international oversight. And within this lapse the only rule was to generate a measurable rate of return for investors, buy low, sell high. This became the driving force, the fundamental tendency, the method of thought and action. The pathogens endemic to the system grew into economic theories which informed and infected the investors, speculators and politicians decision-making and thereby spread the illness even further. This, too, is how the vicious circle of samsara is described. The well-known neurobiologist Francesco Varela called such closed systems (self-seeding?) self-sustaining structures. To escape this requires a great deal of mindfulness and transcendental wisdom to see things as they are and for what they mean on the ultimate level - Ignorance being the third poison.
The Buddha spoke of three pathological behavioral patterns: excessive attachment, aversion and ignorance. It is the hypnotic nature of the resultant disturbing emotions and the fundamental ignorance of the true nature of the situation we find ourselves in which keep us circling in samsara. There is a whole series of polarities and divisions which have completely lost their relevance and which need to be overcome if we wish to create a dynamic which will lead us to liberation: us and them: reason and emotion, strong state intervention or protective measures for companies and countries, etc. The perversion in these choices lies in the concept of either-or.
52

One of them is the false dilemma state or private, if at least we expect a definitive answer. We see it happening before our very eyes it is not just the unprofitable companies which go under. The most vociferous companies get the greatest state support: a two-fold duplicity whereby supply and demand, productivity and profitability no longer matter, instead it is influence which counts. This is one of the reasons that Europe has had such a scandalous agricultural policy for so long. Not innovation but profit-seeking is rewarded that which is in the interests of the government. It may be clear that it is no longer possible to distinguish between state intervention and a liberal economy: liberal governments adopt protectionist measures and states buy banks. Everything is changing. The struggle should not be between state control or privatization, between humanism and market fundamentalism. An excess and an insufficiency in both policies would be disastrous. The same is true for all such word-pairings. A dualistic vision of reality is not only incomplete but it is also incorrect.2 Liberation has something to do with ending all dualistic clinging.
The Middle Way Buddhism is called the philosophy of the middle way. This is not just because of Nagarjuna but because the fundamental dialectic of the Buddhas educational project: the non-normative ethics so finely described in the Pali cannon and explained in the rich Abhidhamma tradition of Theravada Buddhism; because of its liberating insights thanks to the concepts of interdependence and emptiness in the Sanskrit literature of Mahayana Buddhism. It always takes two never just one. Action and insight should always go together on every level the two wings that make it possible for birds to fly. Compassion and wisdom, intimately intertwined, lead to pertinent actions and progress on the road to authentic liberation.
Children become criminals and adults become childish. One can be a devout enlightener or an enlightened believer (Marc Heirman). The same is true for left- or right wing ideology: the left has become conservative, and the right forward-thinking. The left has focussed on income for too long has been outran by an evolving, multi-cultural social reality. (13% of the worlds population is white). The identity crises which left-wing parties are going through has in some countries led to a debate as to whether it wouldnt be better to simply do away with the socialist parties. The right is gaining ground. The present critique of cultural relativism is being crudely reworded by leading right-wingers and stamped as fascism: the forward-thinking left now say, if you offend God you get a literary prize, if you criticise the prophet you get a court case. Previously that would have met with criticism from all progressive elements of society. All yes or no positions lead to war. Everyone acts in the name of justice even terrorists. In the words of the philosopher Pascal, Everyone is trying to be happy, even the one who hangs himself.
53
This dialectic ensures that we dont get caught up in one aspect, one concept, one opinion, a one-way street, one absolute solution or a linear form of thinking, for such approaches only produce opponents, or even enemies. All forms of absolutism are disempowered by the acute wisdom of the Buddha. Buddhism is in this sense rust-proof, sclerosis-proof and fixation-proof. Wars are not only the result of language errors, as the American linguist Korzybski once said. Conflicts arise wherever cramped ultra-conservative stubbornness is found, wherever flexibility of mind or the suppleness to evolve with the everchanging reality is lacking. Change management in the business world, system theory in science and the transformative dynamism that arises from meditation are not so far removed from each other: after all its all about developing an accurate vision of reality, and the wisdom and flexibility to know when something needs to be done and what would be the best way to go about doing it because you know exactly how the cybernetics fit together.
III. The answer to the economic crisis: What is the Buddhist answer to the economic crisis? After all, this is the problem that we are all investigating. It shows clearly that alongside all the intelligent, well-intentioned and wise people who have already offered their Buddhist opinions alone could not provide an answer, it can however offer some support to prevent too much time-loss. We could also put it in this way: Buddhism is supporting some tendencies that might contribute to an evolution towards a way to deal with the actual situation. Instead of: the maintenance of dissatisfaction by a system based on the constant creation of new needs; obsession with the growth co-efficient (i.e. profit) people are even using the term negative profit instead of calling a spade a spade. In the USA there are more cars than drivers licenses; maintaining the three collective egos as David Loy calls the three fundamental vices: the constant stimulation of the drive to accumulate of possessions (the storage and ware-housing industry in the US has a budget of 20 billion); the militarization of many domains in society through the principle of competition; the disinformation which has happened as a result of the excess of information;
54

we need new instruments, new ways of thinking, new ways of cooperation and new priorities. And we must make use of insights from all domains and traditions. In addition the rise of Buddhism is perhaps fortuitous in as much as it does not play into the hands of the power-holders and magnates. There is more and more talk of Mindful-Economics. Key businesses, financial institutions, government agencies and labor unions in the local community could all be organized along these values. Buddhist economics, argues that sukha (well-being, felicity) is the result of the emergence of paa - wisdom. Minimizing suffering, simplifying desires, non-violence, genuine care, and generosity are the key words of a Buddhist economics which is rational, ethical, and ecological and can lead to happiness, peace and durability.
A strong trend towards greater sustainability and sobriety There is a strong movement under way to increase sustainability, for more simplicity and sobriety. Monachos is a Greek word that means he who lets go of the surplus and only concentrates on the essential More and more people realize the importance of such a choice. Years ago already, E.F. Schumacher wrote about the wisdom that can be found in moderation. In his essay, Small is beautiful the Buddhist vision about economy and happiness was revealed for the first time. These days people really realize that the more one possesses, the less value one attaches to all of it; and the less one possesses, the easier it is to discover the true value of what you have. One can ask the question if the words sustainable or ecologically justified entrepreneurship, business ethics are accompanied by a sincere concern from the managers and company owners for a responsible lifestyle and business relationships. Or whether is it limited to just window dressing, just another attempt to continue selling, even if one uses a new vocabulary to win the consumers trust? Or is it indeed possible to come to another society, as the world has been told since Seattle and as Buddha suggested 25 centuries ago?
Spirituality as societal criticism Since the age of the historical Buddha, Buddhism has expounded means to end suffering by recognizing its causes and avoiding them. Representatives of a more engaged form of Buddhist practices from the East as well as in the West include with this a sharp analysis for the contemporary society.
55
This actually happens in all great religious and philosophical traditions: these traditions and not so much the political world are actually the real origin of the most dynamic and renewing initiatives and transparent evaluations of our societies. On the social platforms organized in the margins of the official summits of the representatives of the richest countries in Davos, it was said that: Spiritual sources are necessary to prevent the exhaustion of natural sources. So people are not waiting for supernatural rescuers. People are taking responsibility in their own hands and those are usually people with some spiritual background -- which already says a lot about the status of spirituality in our society.
Voluntary simplicity movement In the eighties of the last century, a movement was born in Quebec and the US in the context of this criticism on society, which calls itself the Voluntary Simplicity Movement. This is not a bo-bo-lifestyle movement (bo-bo means bohemian bourgeois). But it is rather a radical movement that wants to replace ever more with it is enough. These people understand that economic goods alone dont lead to happiness but relational goods are necessary as well. An ever growing group of citizens in the richer Western countries are seeking ethical justified consumption, responsible financing, and more social responsibility in companies. These are no longer empty phrases. They are only waiting for the support of efficient political actions. If: each day Europe grants 2 euro per cow, which is more then 75% of all Africans have to live on per day; torture is still applied in 150 countries; in Kenya 1/3 of a family income is spend on bribes; in Russia every year 12.000 women die from domestic violence; every year on earth more people die from suicide than from armed conflict; 6% of the population of the so called civilized countries are depressed;
then we can postulate the idea that there is something wrong with us. The need for a more authentic lifestyle, more solidarity and emotional balance, for deep human values is evident everywhere. Moins de biens, plus de liens, say the militants (less goods, more connections). And Mahatma Gandhi puts it this way: Live simply to allow others simply to live. According to them outer simplicity leads more easily to a real inner wealth.
56

Austerity Striving for austerity may seem somewhat strange. A consciously chosen low material consumption and a sober lifestyle could seem like exactly the opposite of the ever increasing shareholders value, ever increasing job productivity, more income, more consumption, more production. More non-material values can give life more depth and inspiration. The Hungarian philosopher Laszlo Zsolnai puts the emphasis on the connection between economy and Buddhism in general: the one decreases material discomforts, and the other existential. But the capitalistic system consists of some blind mechanisms that are strongly perverted, that much has been exposed by the recent financial and economical crisis. In the fifties some Buddhist institutes shared some wise words about this poisoned gift from the West. But these words were neglected and people chose to go for the fata morgana (mirage/illusion) that appeared on the horizon. And of course today some belong to the Asian Tigers. But the losses on the human, social and spiritual level are incalculable. The morbid society which we have got ourselves into (violence, distrust, suicide, depression) generates many civilization disorders (depression, obesities, medication addiction, and so on) instead of a heavenly place on earth.
Insights on happiness, wellness and income By now we have come to the understanding that prosperity does not equal happiness. The economist Richard Easterlin has observed that there exists no meaningful correlation between income and happiness. A whole library has been written referring to scientific research in that respect. Happiness is, principally, as measurable as blood pressure. Apparently meditation stimulates the eudaemonist sense of happiness, the immune system, the heartbeat, balances blood sugar level and can influence life expectancy and the recovery time after illness. Layard, a leading academic economist, who is also a policy adviser to the UK government states that Buddhist mindfulness meditation, together with cognitive therapy and positive psychology, promote mental well-being. In the Netherlands the unions have just recently proposed meditation as a working condition. The experience of happiness is limited. There is no measure of a meaningful life. Does this require a culture of solidarity and an atmosphere of trust? It is a fundamentally courageous attitude of generosity as Clinton or Gates have modeled recently? Was mother Theresa happy? Buddha? Shakespeare? Jeanne dArc? All right, life is not just all about happiness, according to the philosopher and neurobiologist Owen Flanagan, living a meaningful life is. Nirvana is described in
57
the Buddhist sutras as the highest happiness, the culmination of a life in which the person fulfils his/her true potential. When Peter Singer said in the New York Times that he spent a quarter of his salary on charity, and somebody replied that one does not become happy by doing that. He answered: No, but one does become a better person.
The responsibility of the individual to collective action Individual awareness is the basis from which to later intervene correctly in the collective. Each individual who no longer accepts the obsessive belief in the apology of continuous growth, over-consumption, competition, who resists the anonymity of the metropolis, each individual that seeks a new approach to money, to transportation, to medicine, to nutrition, to holidays, is changing something in society. Revolution starts with a generous thought, a reversal with an inner transformation. Generous thoughts as there are: a worldwide health insurance for all people where rich countries contribute a little more than the poor countries; a United Nations of the wise elders from each country instead of politicians; thinking in terms of a large human family to which we belong instead of nations and states etc...
They are generous because they emphasize on relationship between the self and the other, the individual and humanity, but also between the human being and nature. These kinds of relationships are greatly emphasized in Buddhism also. This one can deduced from the beautiful quote: Each time an enlightened being acts, the water of the rivers becomes more clear and the plants grow greener. In all areas of our society the values of interrelationship and interdependency are becoming tangible now.3
This makes, for instance, the difference between managers and leaders. Managers do things right. Leaders do the right things. (Charles Handy). A manager focuses on systems, a leader focuses on people. A manager asks how, a leader asks why. (Peter Drucker)
58

Conclusion There is definitely a trend developing in which inner reality is taken more into consideration. That is mainly what Buddha was talking about, the mechanism of the mind as a driving force for everything that exists and that will come to be. There are several parallel terms in ecology, science (system theory and quantum physics), Buddhism and economics. Organic (autopoietic) solidarity networks are autonomous, dynamic, are temporary partnerships with a high capacity for change and the permanent ability to face the challenge of all unforeseen circumstances. The world is here presented as a complex of fluctuating realities, continuous change processes. These days no one escapes confrontation with the task of facing the true nature of the (economical or samsaric?) system that we participate in. The right perception requires some kind of simplicity (beginners mind as they called it in the Zen-tradition). In Buddhism they call this removing the veils of karma, of disturbing emotions, of fundamental tendencies and of the knowable (the cognitive veils). There is also a tendency to shift the focus from need to satisfaction.4 In Buddhism we speak in terms of fundamental humanness, about the inexhaustible strength of the proper spirit and about the possibility that is accessible for everyone to restore a natural health. Amongst other approaches healing from a sickness could happen through gaining insight in the troubling unrealistic expectations and illusions that we maintain within ourselves. Happy people are kind, pleasant and creative. Humankind is gradually evolving from mimetic desire5 to relational or social intelligence. Eight million volunteers helped Obama gain his power. 8809 organizations have pointed in this direction in more then 2000 workshops with a hundred thousand participants at the recent World Social Forum of the 28th of March that took place on the margins of the World Economic Forum
People not longer choose to accept the negative human-vision that is being enforced here in the West: as if men (according to socio-biologists) would the result of blind evolutionary movements, an accidental crystallisation in the disorganised movement of the genes. A kind of melting pot that is under pressure and that regularly needs to discharge some steam in culturally agreeable performances (according to Freud). To Nietzsche a human is a sick animal that is never evidently adjusted and therefore doomed to creativity. It is no wonder that humankind is depressed after all these statement and walks the earth with hunched shoulders and in a heavy mood. The fact that we have arrived in a moral fallow land is certainly the result of these fresh ideological sounding statements. 5 Mimetic desire: we constantly compare our position with that of others. We want as much as the others or more then the others or different then the others. This way we organise our own dissatisfaction. We desire something not because we need it, but because others have it.
59
of Davos.6 In Buddhist circles they talk about mindful-economy that is based on value-based principles: social justice, equity and democracy, ecological sustainability and stability. Economy in general needs to make the choice: it can be made to maximize profits for its shareholders, or it can be made to serve the needs of the community. A Mindful Economy is Intrinsically Democratic, Equitable and Just. A Mindful Economy is Based on Respect for All Life and Natural Processes. A mindful-economy is committed to a proper stewardship of the planet. () Unlike the boom and bust instabilities of capitalism, a mindful-economy rests on a secure foundation that is firmly embedded in the local community. It is independent from the Wall Street speculators and other predatory practices that cause the financial system to swing up and down with instability. The company is driven by the motive to serve the community, integrates ownership and work and does not pursue growth for growths sake. The economy therefore becomes an important vector or symptom of a change process. The words of Gandhi Let us be the change we want to see in the world. are therefore still applicable and approximate very closely that which the Buddha has taught. The importance of each individual contribution that people are currently discovering is probably the best news that we can report in our days. History will show if this growing insight, that currently has reached a critical mass of 30% in Western population, has enough power to reverse the tide. There is plenty of evidence that Buddhism provides more than a substantial contribution to this and in my opinion that does not need to be repeated here. It is simply a matter of avoiding polarization and making good use of the opportunity to silently fertilize the subliminal layers of society by an authentic study and practice of the Dhamma of the Buddha. It will help to stay calm in the middle of the storm and generous in every action through body, speech and mind. May the clear and wise advices of the Enlightened One continue to radiate! May they inspire all those who are constructing the world we will offer to our children and grandchildren! May the realization of non-self guide our progress in the Dhamma! May we be able to free ourselves from all clinging to negative or erroneous views (and mostly those we are not conscious about) in order to create the best chances for ourselves and for all sentient beings to realize the ultimate state of Enlightenment!
For the result of this alternative forum : see www.choike.org/qcrisis

60

Bibliography Bouckaert Luk & Zsolnai Laszlo, Spirituality as a Public Good, Garant Publishers & the authors, 2007 Carrette Jeremy and King Richard, Selling spirituality, Routledge, 2005 Cloninger C. Robert, Feeling Good, Oxford University Press, 2004 Csikszentmihalyi Mihaly, Good business. Leadership, flow and the making of meaning, Viking Press, 2003 De Bouvier Emeline, Moins de biens, plus de liens, Couleur livres, 2008 Easterlin Richard, Does money buy happiness?, -, 1973 Field Lloyd, Business and the Buddha, Wisdom Publications, 2007 Goetghebeur Frans, Les mille visages du bouddhisme, Editions Racine, 2008 Kessel Brent, It's not about the money, HarperOne, 2008 Layard Richard, Happiness, Allen Lane, 2005 Liem Giok In, Interdependent Economy, iUniverse, 2005 Loy David, Money Sex War Karma, Wisdom Publications, 2008 Moreau Grard, Dictature de la croissance, Ginkgo diteur, 2005 Napoleoni Loretta, Rogue Economics - Capitalism's New Reality, Seven Stories Press, 2008 Noels Geert, Econoshock, Houtekiet, 2008 Payutto P.A., Buddhist Economics Schumacher E.F., Small is beautiful, Blond & Briggs, 1973 Senge P., Scharmer C., Jaworski J., Flowers B., Presence, Sdu Uitgevers bv, 2006 Zsolnai Laszlo and Johannessen Knut, Business within Limits, Peter Lang, 2006
61
The Sacca Saving-Group: Buddhist Movement in Responding to Community Financial Crisis
Ven. Piphitsutatorn Sirindharo Vice Rector, MCU, Chiang Mai Campus, Wat Suandok, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Introduction: In 1978, Mr. Chob Yodkaew, a public school teacher of Nam Khao School, Songkhla province started to form Saving Group along with 7 other projects. The members of this saving group included teachers and students. All members had saving money and teachers could have loan with less of interest which can solve their problems. More importantly, teachers as well as students had got good welfare and capital money after graduation.1 This idea of formation of saving group was learned by Phra Subin Panto who wandered the southern regions of Thailand. Phra Subin, then, started to form the same saving group at Wat Kor Khuang, Trat province. In the following year, he moved to Wat Phai Lorm, his present temple, and formed another saving group in this temple called Sacca Saving-Group. The savings-group of Mr. Chob and expanded Sacca Saving-Group of Phra Subin, later on, became model of Buddhist movement in responding to financial crisis in community level in Thailand. In 1997, there was financial crisis that gripped much of Asia and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown (financial contagion). The crisis started in Thailand with the financial collapse of the Thai baht caused by the decision of the Thai government to float the baht, cutting its peg to the USD, after exhaustive efforts to support it in the face of a severe financial overextension that was in part real estate driven. At the time, Thailand had acquired a burden of foreign debt that made the country effectively bankrupt even before the collapse of its currency. As the crisis spread, most of Southeast Asia and Japan saw slumping currencies, devalued stock markets and other asset prices, and a precipitous rise in private debt.2 Thailand's booming economy came to a halt amid massive layoffs in finance, real estate, and construction that resulted in huge numbers of workers returning to their villages in the countryside and 600'000 foreign workers being sent back to their home countries.3 With this experience of economic crisis leads many scholars to review
http:///72.14.235.132search?q=cache:pOdLVVI9VcJ:www.thaiwisdom.org/p_pum/move/move_news/move_pum.2htm 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_Financial_Crisis 3 Ibid.

62

the lesson learnt of Sacca Saving-Group and find that Sacca Saving-Group would be the best way out of community financial crisis.
Formation of Sacca Saving-Group: Finding Buddhist ways to solve the crisis especially in community level where people still have strong believe in Buddhism, the first process is to analyze the crisis, its causes and, finally, the way out. It is found that, in community, people are poor; educated people are not available; there remain only ages, children, uneducated and delinquents. Community is hard to be developed due to lack of capital, knowledge, management skill and unity. Community members have to depend on the capital, especially finance, provided by private investors which seek high rate of interest. Many pieces of land and houses in the community were confiscated. Many of them become homeless and leave to live in slum areas in big cities which lead to other problems such as drugs. When there was unity among community members, the idea for the formation of Sacca Saving-Group occurred. I went for alms-round every morning; found that many families are in trouble, having less to eat, but still eager to offer food to me. Some families, I learned, borrow for 20% interest for necessary expenses. I, then, think that if people cannot live their lives, how the monks can live. This event motivates me to find the way to help them to live good life, without worry and with dignity to be selfdependent.4 Phra Subin Panto said. To form and develop Sacca Saving-Group, there are three steps5: 1. Arrangement of focus group of community members during religious ceremony in the temple in order to form good citizen group small group who live in the same community. The process of saving and borrowing was set up together with learning by doing process. 2. Expanding the member, revision of regulation and financial management which is the process of development of the group. 3. Expanding the network and building up relation with nearby Sacca Saving-Group in the form of sub-district or provincial network. There are three basic factors to ensure the success and sustainability of the group i.e. (1) morality (2) quality and (3) efficiency - in Way of Doing: Sacca Saving-Group for development of morality in complete life circle by way of Phra
4 5
http://www.oknation.net/blog/print.php?id=192217 : , . ,2541 10
63
Subin Panto (: ), details of those three factors are concisely explained as follows6: 1. Morality: Phra Subin use Dhamma to lead. He, to prevent cultivation of greed and selfishness, integrates Dhamma in the activities called Dhamma leads Money. Main principle is to have honesty in all process such as: 1) Before forming the group, he will advise the member to use Buddhist economics as way of management - to save small amount of remaining money to help oneself and others. 2) In working process, it is to use honesty to both oneself and the others, in front and behind. 3) Saving-group is not only finance agency, but a social platform that fills spiritual value of community members. Apart, there are many other moralities to be applied such as morality for leadership; good leader must sacrifice, not to be immoral, teach the members on having sympathy to the neighbours. 2. Quality: Phra Subin always advise community member on the problem cause by social structure and community problems before forming Sacca Saving-Group so that the members fully understand the problem instead of leading by money by; 1) Starting form little to many: the group is, therefore, not shortly grown which is hard to direct and create greed. The group will not take more important on money value. The group will not hurry to create greed, instead cultivate attitude of helping one another. 2) Having clear regulations by prescribing the rules on the basis of understanding community situation and control by Dhamma. 3) Having account that fit to the group, easy, understandable and transparent. There is control system; finance officer and accountant is not the same person. 4) Having clear welfares system that promotes basic welfare for the members. The members are supported from birth up to death. The Sacca Saving-Group will provide 50% profit to be various kinds of welfare. After certain period (10 years), members are not to save but deposit annually profit and still receive various kinds of welfare regularly that supports oneself at retired state leading to secured life and filling gap in the society.
6
http://www.chumchonthai.or.th/member/booksdetail.asp?b_id=6 ,: , ,
64

5) Having good managing system by setting up different committees clearly. 6) Taking more important to those who are creative in doing good thing and sacrifice, for example, categorizing member into 4 classes. 7) Having networking system by having Buddhist monk who wins trust of people to lead the activities of the group. 3. Efficiency: Phra Subin advises various methods or good stratagems for effective management i.e. 1) Today deposit will be lending immediately that leads to save time and taxi fare to deposit to the bank. 2) Fixing only one day as working day, and only 3 - 5 hours as working hour which is convenient for both members and committee. 3) Emphasizing on using temple to be office of the Sacca Saving-Group. Apart from making people closed to the temple and Dhamma, it is safe due to not spending money to build new office building. 4) Members deposit and pay the debt regularly by using honesty to control. 5) Having discharging the debts system by saving money of the group. This is to prevent money leaking from the community leading to feeling encouraged and protected by the members. 6) Rapidly and continually increasing of new members. It is because the group works on the basis of real context such as:a. Beginning with persuading relatives to do and be success case for the others. b. Using Buddhist holy days to increase more understanding. c. Talking with community leaders. d. Expanding to other public holidays such as national mother day. 7) Having no or less NPL. It is because members understand supporting system and management system including 3 levels of social sanction i.e. a. Bringing mutual understanding on helping one another by using Buddha Dhammato lead the group.
65
b. Using rules and regulations of the group regarding paying debts strictly such as if former debtor has not paid a dept, the member who wishes to lend has to pay on behalf. and c. Using social punishment. 8) Having linked financial activity with other problems in community systematically, concretely and clearly such as; a. Setting up wholesale systems in order to prevent taking advantage of by the middleman. Sacca saving-groups members can, therefore, purchase goods in cheap price. In addition, the group has put profit into welfare fund. b. Producing biological fermentation in order to reduce the production cost of the villagers make people understand the problems arising from structural problems up family problem.
Lesson Learnt of Sacca Saving Group Movement: Carrying out Sacca Saving-group, 6 lessons have been found i.e. 1) Binding 3 philosophical paradigm together i.e. religion, community and family. 2) To meet with the community, Phra Subin tried to focus on making community to consider the importance of self-dependence and honesty, self responsibility which also results in a socially responsible in the end. At the same time, he also emphasizes on the value of generosity, participatory of all members of community that leads to solidarity in order to create a livable community. Moreover, it is also to cultivate relationships within the family with showing that everyone in the family has competency, ability to help each other, children can help the parents, and the oldster can help family. It is because everyone in the family has the right to be a groups member, to save money. This saving money will be the family base to be lent at short period. It is just like parents borrow money of their own children. All this happened from the practical activities together of the Sacca Saving-Group.
3) Specifying essential targeted community i.e. a. Wat

66

b. Merit making group which assumes that the good people in the community c. Expansion of monk network 4) Phra Subin targets at key major groups within the community to help in the next phase easily and quickly. It is because these groups have the potential to expand their work, if they have knowledge, understanding, realization of the importance of the activities, and selflaunching. Targeted group that Phra Subin uses like a beams to force open in order to expand activity quickly. 5) Learning by immediately doing i.e. forming the group and, then, save and lend on the same day. 6) First day each group is established, after Phra Subin has lectured and invited people to participate in group activities of Sacca SavingGroup, Phra Subin will recommend that people start out with the money at least Baht 10 per month to save the villagers accept trial together. Letting members to seriously working i.e. savings and lending immediately at the time of forming the group, makes people realized the benefits of participation in this activity clearly connecting merit, mind and money-savings with honesty, and democratic group rules. Phra Subin points out to members of the group when people in the community to save money together and help people are in needed to borrow. It is to help them to have a chance. It is one important way of making merit and helping one another. There are three priority cases to get loan; the first is the sick, the second is one who receives the burden of high interest loans, and the third is for education. The remaining saving money will then go to the general members. This is the way of training to members of a charity to fellow community, support each other. 1) Adjusting and creating "a new way thinking" with giving the benefits to individual in order to ensure a strong group, training sacrifice, and control members behavior 2) At the anniversary of saving, group will share the profit from loan interest into two equal parts. One part is dividends back to the members, while another part is used as a welfare fund for members. In the preliminary, welfare fund has been used mostly in the medical care. There are some groups that have enough welfare funds, began to use welfare fund to develop their community. 3) Setting 5 year for 4 classes system, then, stop registered new member.
67
4) Another important principle is membership opens only to 4 generations and then stopped for a period may be 3 or 4 years, depending on the group, and then gradually open membership again. This system helps people in the community to realize the value of the group and apply before closing. Members or applicants in the first year have the right to receive medical treatment at the full set. While 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year members will receive half of each class to a previous class. This makes members of the later years receive very little benefit. Stop recruiting welfare fund will make this expansion grow and sufficient to help members. At the same time, members of later years will be up grated into the higher class gradually. Occurrence of this Sacca Saving-Group is an example of using financial management systems as instrumental in the human resource development and strength of the community. It is resulting in 3 levels as follows: 1) Family level: it is helping in reduction of selfishness and commitment of individual consumption. It is leading to a virtuous austerity, management of family welfare funds and development of the commitments within family and relatives. 2) Community level: it has created a very friendly and dependable. The occurrence of the community welfare fund is a mechanism in the allocation of public profit (group) to the members in the form of: a. b. c. d. e. Medical care and treatment Support cost of cremation Scholarships for children Community development Environmental rehabilitation etc.
Processes that occur to help in fastening members firmly linkage, create checking process and adjusting the friendly behavior among members. It also helps in creating a support system and relies on generosity through fund management and democratic rule that members participate in a public forum. 3) Community level and relationships with external agencies: in the future, there should result in a network, saving-group or saving-group clubs by having the mutual fund of saving-group in order to be: a. Learning network or a "People University" b. Management unit of the network c. A joint venture of the network
68

d. A business investment or investment in community business e. The negotiations are to exploit or protect from the outside f. Civil society network in the future.
Sacca Saving-Group in Solving the Financial Crisis of Community: Once turning back to see the development of initiation of the idea of Phra Subin Panto till it grows and comes to the concrete, the success that occurs in the present day can be summarized as the goals, guidelines and result of the success as follows: Goals: Phra Subin has set up the goals of Sacca Saving-Group interestingly. Planning and economic policy maker should take as an example as follows: 1) Solving poverty and debt that will extend to other social. Phra Subin knows that the development dependence on government is not possible. People must have their own savings, economization and honesty to ensure the success. 2) To support community member to depend on oneself in all aspects; such as capital and management as evidenced by preaching always reinforced the community says "Atthi attano ntho (You yourself are your helper)". 3) Solving the problem of braking away and quarreling of people in the community, turning back into harmony and unanimity, and bringing back of spirit of the community. This mission occurs when Phra Subin wondered to the south. 4) Building up bargaining power in order to protect community from taking advantage by businessman or capitalist; by way of using the power of community in community business management. 5) Building and returning pride and dignity to the community. Rural people can stand shoulder to shoulder with middle class, government officer and businessman with full dignity. 6) Returning merit, loving kindness and practice in accordance with the Buddha Dhamma to the community.
Guidelines: Phra Subin has used his approach from the following local wisdom:
69
1) Using religious principle focused on merit, charity and contentment as essential principle of the guidelines to run Sacca Saving, not to fall into greed (Lobha), by integrating the said Dhamma(s) in all activities of fund management. 2) Development of saving activity to result the mutual benefit of the community in order to motivate the community members to cooperate rather than competing. 3) Using paradigm of "community participation awareness" to replace individualism by setting up welfare administrative and management system, fixing target group and using the community mechanism to control in order to create participatory awareness of the community. 4) Using based transparency management system, by having auditable accounting system, including having board as well as consultants, such as Phra Subin who are transparent. 5) Having flexible management, consistent with economic and social conditions of the community such as lending, small amount saving, welfare distribution management to fill the needs of the members. 6) Having prestige of Phra Subin who is a Buddhist monk and wins the trust of the members, including committee members of welfare fund who are selected on the basis of moral principles and prestige. 7) Using public place of the community i.e.: Wat (Buddhist temple) where the villagers have the opportunity to continually interact. Managing at private home of the member or other public place will not bring sense of belonging appropriately like managing in the temple. 8) Creating conditions for people to regularly meet and share their suffering and happiness, such as to come to the temple and deposit every month. 9) Short time management system such as rapid service management within a single day, no need for a cooperative stock like other cooperative store. 10) Having full participation of all members in management, in selection of committee members, in decision making, in regulation setting, in evaluating, up to in the benefits accrued.
70

Results: In addition to the quantitative results of the Sacca Saving-Group in 106 villages or approximately 60 percent of the province, the variety of qualitative results of self dependence is: 1) Poverty, debt including other social problems such as theft started to ease, resulting from the savings of the people, the welfare system to help the community in health care, education and paying debt. Economization and saving practice make poverty crisis in many communities start to abate. 2) Loving kindness, understanding and unanimity of have come back to the community. It is because people have the opportunity to meet, share suffering and happiness. The community appears to replace quarreling, individualism. 3) People gain disciplined, honest and do not cheat resulting from management system that requires honesty to reach community mutual gain, and also rely on the community checking mechanism. 4) People do not feel lonely at difficult period. At risk, there is family; community and saving money support to sustain certain warmth. 5) Changing behavior of the members such as giving welfare to patient in the hospital, in case of smoking, a welfare payment would be fined. 6) Communities have the power to negotiate with traders or businessmen from outside. It is because mutual management will prevent taking advantage of like in the past. 7) Community is having more pride. It can be seen through creative thought of planning several other activities on community business, unlike before. Considering the goals, guidelines and results above, it is very clear that Sacca Saving-Group becomes the way out, especially in times of economic or financial crisis in the country where people experience unres needing to find a trust for escaping death in the middle of the ocean waves of several crash disasters. Responding to this crisis, government and economists try just grab foreign capital to the entrepreneur to breath with the hope that old structure will be parasite and always destroy the rural base continue. When crisis leads to opportunity, Sacca Saving-Group becomes mechanism to restore rural base economic, destroy old structure to collapse down, and construct a new structure of a solid foundation with appropriate local wisdom Raised with the wisdom of the people, revive the spirit sharing and giving, build awareness of a community that never end, integrate the
71
Buddha dhamma of self-dependence and contentment back to the country. Actually, these conditions are indeed joint conditions that can occur at every society whether city or rural and country. Teaching of the Buddha focuses on self-dependence. However, the main teaching of Atthi attano natho has yet to be achieved. But if everyone in this world is not depend on others, instead, turns to self-dependence, remind oneself, society will be peaceful. Now, people are not... to depend on oneself, but depend on others and pedal themselves a pass. They, therefore, cannot move to self-dependence certainly according to Buddha dhamma. ."
Conclusion: Saving group has been formed in around 1978 by Mr. Chob Yodkaew, a public school teacher of Nam Khao School, Songkhla province. Teachers and students had got good welfare and capital money after graduation. Phra Subin Panito took this idea and then started saving group called Sacca Saving-Group at Trat province. This sacca saving-group, later on, becomes the way out of community financial crisis. There are three steps to form and develop sacca saving-group i.e.: (1) arrangement of focus group of community members, and setting up of the process of saving and borrowing with learning by doing process; (2) expanding the member, revision of regulations and financial management as the process of development; (3) expanding and building up relation with several networks. There are three basic factors to ensure the success and sustainability of the sacca saving-group i.e. (1) morality (Dhamma leads money); (2) quality (beginning with small; having clear regulation; appropriate account system; clear and clean welfare system; effective management system; promoting good members and networking system (3) efficiency (several methods or good stratagems for effective management). Carrying out sacca saving-group, six lessons have been found i.e.: (1) binding three philosophical paradigm together i.e. religion, community and family; (2) specifying essential targeted communities (3) learning by immediate doing (4) connecting merit, mind and money savings with honesty, (5) adjusting and creating "a new way thinking" and (6) setting five years for four classes system, then, stop new member enrolment. Occurrence of this sacca saving-group is an example of using financial management systems as instrument in the human resource development and strength of the community which results in three levels i.e. (1) family level: helping in
72

reduction of selfishness and commitment of individual consumption and development of the commitments within family and relatives. (2) community level: creating a very friendly and dependable. The community welfare fund is a mechanism in the allocation of public profit (group) to the members. (3) network level: having the mutual fund of saving-group. The success that results can be summarized as the goals such as support community member to depend on oneself in all aspects; guidelines such as using religious principle focused on merit, charity and contentment as essential principle; and results such as poverty, debt including other social problems such as theft started to ease, resulting from savings, welfare system that helps the community. Sacca saving-group, therefore, become an example of Buddhist movement in responding to community economic or financial crisis. The principles of Sacca Saving-Group may, therefore, be the lesson learnt by other communities to consider as way to solve their community financial crisis. This Sacca Saving-group may also be model of solving financial crisis of the world today.
73
Entrepreneurship: Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis
Heri Catur Meruvipassana Kertarajasa Buddhist College, Batu, Indonesia
Introduction: As long as the history of mankind, problems of poverty seem to never end. Poverty shows the inability of peoples to fulfill their minimal needs of daily life. It is faced by large part of population in the world and is considered to be a main pursuer of development in developing countries. Economic crisis is identical with poverty. Before the economic crisis in 1997, Indonesia actually had successfully been able to reduce poverty population from 54.2 millions (40.1%) in 1976 into 22.6 millions (11.4%) in 1996. However, economic crisis in 1997 caused number and percentage of poverty population increased again. This was not unrelated with incapability of peoples to obtain employment. Many peoples became poor and were sustained to be poor, because their life was dependent on the employment given by someone. They were not capable to create an employment by themselves. Poverty is a term of suffering. The goal of Buddhism is to eradicate suffering. Therefore, Buddhists have to relieve themselves and the community from poverty. Poverty should be eradicated by changing mental attitude of people from dependency into independency; from employment seeker into employment creator. Independency is a mental attitude of entrepreneur. To be independent, someone should be communicative, active, creative, and innovative. In Buddhism (Anguttara Nikaya V), there are five powers (panca bala) for improving capability of independency, namely conviction (saddha), enthusiasm (viriya), consciousness (sati), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna). Someone could become an entrepreneur by having and practicing mental attitude of independency. It is an entrepreneurship capability. Entrepreneurship makes people rich, mentally and financially. Rich entrepreneur could help to eradicate poverty and to cure economic crisis.
Poverty: Because of the economic crisis, worlds poverty is increased. Economic crisis is identical with poverty. Peoples become poor or constantly poor, because they
74

could not bring into line with the environment. To be able to emerge from povertys murk, someone does not only need to harmonize with the environment but also needs leverage. We have to think more advanced and higher. The environment which we bring into line should be higher than the previous environment. If we live in poor environment, we will continuously poor. If we live in rich environment, we will be able to concord with the environment. Opportunity of poor people to be rich is lower than opportunity of rich people to be richer. Poverty is a term of suffering. Therefore, Buddhists have to relieve them selves and the community from poverty. The goal of Buddhism is to eradicate suffering. Buddhism encourages people to be generous. Dadeyya putiso danam. There are eight noble requirements of giving donation, namely: sucim deti, paritam deti, kalena deti, kappiyam deti, vicceya deti, abhinam deti, dadam cittam pacadeti, and datna attamano hati. For poor people, it is difficult to be able to donate accordingly. Therefore, poverty should be eliminated. Economic crisis should be surpassed.
Independency: Poverty could be eliminated by changing mental attitude of people from dependency into independency. To be independent, someone should be communicative, active, creative, and innovative. Someone should be effective. Highly effective people usually has seven habits, namely: (1) proactive, (2) begin with the end in mind, (3) put first thing first, (4) think win-win solution, (5) seek first to understand, then to be understand, (6) synergize, and (7) sharpen the saw (Covey, 2004). Independency is a character of entrepreneur, most success peoples are entrepreneurs. They are highly effective peoples. Capability of humans is accumulation of their efforts in facing threats of life. The capability would be developed by totality of mentality and activity performance of the human (Pannavaro, 1991). Therefore, to be success peoples need to be renewed their mentality into mentality which is responsive, communicative, active, creative, and innovative. In Buddhism (Anguttara Nikaya V), there are fire mental attitudes which should be developed for increasing capability of people, namely: (1) conviction (saddha), (2) enthusiasm (viriya), (3) consciousness (sati), (4) concentration (samadhi), and (5) wisdom (panna). Every human being needs a conviction (Saddha), which will motivate his/her activities. Someone has a power of survival to reach his/her dream because of conviction to what he/she does.
75
Enthusiasm (viriya) is an important factor for a success. Enthusiasm and capability are two factors which difficult to be split. In most cases, many peoples do not want to do something are not caused by they area not capable, but mostly are caused by non enthusiasm to do the work. Many peoples feel that life is not useful for them and they are not useful for others. Actually, it is not caused by they do not have cleverness, but because they do not want to make effort to do something. Working with full enthusiasm, together with persistence, and an unyielding attitude towards facing challenges is a continuing process building a valuable mental attitude for every one. Consciousness (Sati) is the most valuable of human property - to observe our activity accurately every time, will bear fruitful knowledge. Indeed, by observing the phenomena of life, timely, we will find new valuable things. Significant findings in spiritual and scientific world do not emerged suddenly, but need consciousness to observe with unyielding persistence. With consciousness, everyone will be able to protect his/her self from deterioration. Concentration (Samadhi) will create calm for someone. Failure, disappointment, and mental stress frequently blocks personal capabilities. Meditation will strengthen someones mentality. Concentration will make someone calm and tough to face everything. Wisdom (Panna) is to understand life as it is. To understand that life is not everlasting, changeable continuously, not satisfying, and not following our desire. Changes and failures should be accepted as natural events in the life. However, changes, unsatisfying, and the fact that every thing is not voluntarily following our will, requires us to struggle unyieldingly, continuously, seriously, and in conformity with Dhamma law.
Freedom: Independency offers someone a freedom. Everyone embrace a freedom in his/her life. With the freedom, someone is free to direct his/her way of life. Robert Kiyosaki (2003), the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad introduces a term financial freedom. With freedom financially, we will be free from bustle and chasing of satisfying needs with what so called money. Financial freedom means we are freed from activity of looking for money, instead the money work for us. Unfortunately, to be financially free is not easy. To be an entrepreneur could be a way to direct us to the financial freedom. However, caused by lack of understanding, many peoples feel that to be an entrepreneur is difficult.
76

More than only as source of inspiration, entrepreneur is a path towards financial freedom. Entrepreneur power is a tremendous energy to seek financial freedom and caused the owner could fly high in his life. Enthusiasm of entrepreneurship which has deeply rooted in Valentino Dinsi (2005), a business motivator on the field of entrepreneurship, has constructed his entrepreneur mentality, starting his career as door to door salesman of a private company. He has experienced moving his employment from one company to others. He has experience also as the youngest manager of a national aircraft company and as a vice-president and director of a well known company. However, due to his will to be more beneficial for community, he started to become an entrepreneur which brought him to be a consultant of numerous great companies.
Entrepreneurship: Most success people are entrepreneur. They are highly effective people. They are who communicative, active, creative, innovative, and responsive. They are those who have development conviction (saddha), enthusiasm (viriya), consciousness (sati), concentration (samadhi), and wisdom (panna) for their daily life. To be success in community life, peoples should have capability of entrepreneurship, besides religiosity and intellectuality.
Entrepreneurship Down Population of the world reached 6 billions peoples in 1999, and will be 8 billions in 2020. How could the governments prepare employment for this huge number of populations? To watch increasing number of mergers, acquisition, and restructuring of private companies, which has caused many employees to be no longer employed, it seems that the employment should be created by individual of the people him/her self. To survive, people should become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship guides and trains us to be getting use to give and help other peoples. Whereas, to be an employee, we are getting use to think about our selves. Therefore, with entrepreneurs, problems of national and international could be minimized. Entrepreneurship could be one solution for surpassing global economic crisis. Rich people who have entrepreneurship mentality could help to eradicate poverty and economic crisis. Prosperity of a country could be reached, if the country has entrepreneur of at least 2% of its populations (Ciputra, Jawa Pos 17 Mar 2009). In 1993 USA has entrepreneur of 2.14% of its population. In 2001, Singapore with 4.24 millions people has entrepreneur as many as 2.1% of the population and
77
continually increased up to 7.2% in 2005. Developing countries such as Indonesia, which was severely shaking due to the 1997 economic crisis entrepreneurs are only 0.18% of the population. Without acceleration programs, Indonesia will need more than 25 years to be prosperous. Since the year 1000, trends in power movement tend to belong into the entrepreneur category. In 1000, power was in the hands of spiritual leaders who had capability to read and write. In 1440, the invention of the printing machine served dissemination of knowledge could spread more effectively. Power moved from spiritual leaders to politicians. In 1555, politicians have more strong power. For establishing their power, bureaucracy was developed. In 1970, invention of microchip has facilitated spreading of information to larger groups of people easily. The power was scraped from political group into economical groups. In 1995, power of economy was very strong, so that money bureaucratic leaders were dropped due to economic problems. In 2020, balances of power will step by step move from bureaucracy into entrepreneurship groups. (Dinsi, 2005). Entrepreneurship is rising.
Courage Courage is the fundamental capital for being an entrepreneur. Courage to dream, courage to try, courage to fail, and courage to be different are among courage which are needed to be developed for someone to be able to become an entrepreneur. Dream will create positive power in someones mind, so that he/she will be able to improve capability of work and quality of life. Success of Bill Gates is caused by his dream that personal computer should be available in house of each people. Success of Michael Dell is caused by his dream to sale computer by direct marketing. Success of Jeff Bozos is caused by his dream to create trading through internet. Courage to try is and important point in entrepreneurship. Many peoples have a talent but they fail to reach a success, because they have never tried to do something. Actually, most peoples are not failed to do something, but they stop to try to do something. An entrepreneur always challenges to try something, so that he/she reaches victory and success. Failure is only a deleted success. Failure is a negative experience which could be utilized to find new powers to reach the success on other times. There are four motives of failure. First, we evaluate our capability is too low. Second, any of our movement is influenced by mythos in the community. Third, we are melancholic to judge our selves to be born with bad destiny. Forth, we do not understand law of cause and effect.
78

Every one is different. So that, no reason to be afraid of differences. We have to emerge our talent from our body and let it shine brightly, even though it is different with other peoples. We should not focus on our shortage, but we have to focus on talent and advantage that we have.
Creativity: An entrepreneur should has courage to perform differently. Entrepreneurship is a unique world. An entrepreneur is claimed to be always creative any time. With the creativity, an entrepreneur will be proven to have independent enlightenment that right to be admired and followed. Key of success for winning competition of various business in creativity. Management of creativity is not to discharge something which has already been available, but to construct new thing to be developed into the existed business. A company such as Intel always destroys its old products and then changes with new products as result of creative thinking. Unilever always performs new products. Its old products are destroyed by new products which are more innovative. An entrepreneur is someone who likes various challenges and utilizes opportunity to think creatively for answering that challenge.
Curing the Global Economic Crisis: Entrepreneurship is a Buddhist approach to solve the problems of global economic crisis. It practices teaching if independency, freedom, conviction, enthusiasm, consciousness, concentration, wisdom, and law of cause and effect. Entrepreneurship creates employment. It has been proven that entrepreneurship supports development of a country significantly. The more number of entrepreneur in a country, the more develop the country is. Therefore, to help to surpass the economic crisis of the world, number of entrepreneur, especially in developing countries, should be increased. Training and facilitating peoples in developing countries to be an entrepreneur should be prioritized. Buddhist universities / colleges should take a role as a training center for entrepreneurship development. Objectives of the Buddhist Entrepreneurship Development Training Center are as follows: 1. To change mental attitude of trainee from developing countries, who mostly are peasantryship, into entrepreneurship.
79
2. To create trainer of entrepreneurship with Buddhist approach. 3. To create new entrepreneurs who are obedient to Buddhist ethics and intellectuality. 4. To serve a learning media for practicing research, management, business, and ethics of Buddhist economics.
80

References Bangs, David, The Start Up Guide, Erlangga Publisher, 1994 Bangs, David, The Business Planning Guide, Erlangga Publisher, 1992 Burke, Hedges, Copycat marketing 101, Network Tenty One, Indonesia, 1997 Covey, Stephen R., The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Franklin Covey Co. 2004 Desem, Tung,. Marketing Revolution, Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Indonesia, 2008 Ebert, Ronald, Business Essentials, Prentice Hall, New Jersy, 2000 Forsyth, Patrick, Everyting you need to know about marketing, Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Indonesia, 1997 Harefa, Andrias, Selling without obstruction, Andi, Indonesia, 1999 Inone, Shinichi, Putting Buddhism to Work: A New Approach to Management and Business, Kodansha International Ltd., Tokyo, 131 Pg8, 1997 Kurnia, Kafi, Great Way to Eliminate Competitor, Andal Krida Nusantara, Indonesia, 2004 Legowo, Eko, Developing Prosperity of Buddhist Community in Remote Areas, In: Buddhist and Ethics, IABU Conference on Buddhism and Ethics [Edited by Dion Peoples], 13-15 September 2008/2551. Ayutthaya, Thailand, p. 525-538, 2008 Pannavaro, Sri. Developing Self Potency, Vidyasena, Yogyakarta. 6 pg 8. (Indonesian), 1991 Saidi, Wahyu, Crazy Doctor Selling Spaghetti. Indonesia, Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2005 Sexton, Don, Marketting 101 The Best Marketing Advice In Front Of You. Indonesia, Bhuana Ilmu Populer, 2006 Scarborough, Norman, Effective Small Business Management, Mac-Millan Publishing Company, 1993 Sukandar, Anang, Franchising in Indonesia. Indonesia, Indonesia Franchise Association, Indonesia, 2004 Suryana, Entrepreneurship, Salemba Empat, Indonesia, 2000 Zaques, Edy, Why Do You Go To School If You Want To Be Rich, Gradien Books, Indonesia, 2004
81
Zimmerer, Thomas, Entrepreneurship and The New Venture Formation, Prentice Hall International Inc. 1996
82
Boonkumkhaoyai: An Exemplary Model of Buddhist Economy Asst. Prof. Dr. Dipti Mahanta Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Khonkaen Campus
In Northeast Thailand, or Isan, there are twelve distinct ceremonies known as Prapheni Heet Sip song1 that mark the entire lunar calendar. Each of these ceremonies is an occasion for merit-making, observance of the precepts, and cultivation of morality (sla), meditation (samdhi) and wisdom (pa). Based strictly on Buddhist principles, each ceremony in the entire corpus of Prapheni Heet Sip song points towards a gradual progress along the spiritual path, and has since time immemorial formed the warp and woof of the traditional Isan way of life. Although Isan is generally regarded as the poorest and the most backward region in the country, a close look at how the northeasterners have entwined their lives with the twelve-month tradition reveals the richness of the Buddhist ethics, religious and cultural heritage that has remained intact to the present day. Boonkumkhaoyai (previously known as Boonkhunlarn), literally translated into English as meritmaking by offering the giant paddy heap, is a ceremony that marks the second lunar month and falls approximately in the month of January. It is an ancient
1
A list of these ceremonies is provided at the end of the article.

83
traditional ceremony that is held at the end of the harvest season in order to create harmony and mutual co-existence among all people in the village. The historical origin of the ceremony can be traced back to the inspiration drawn by Isan people from the story of the previous lives of both Kondaa, the first disciple of the Buddha to attain arahantship and Subhadda Paribbchaka, a lay devotee who was the last person to be enlightened just before the passing away of the Buddha.2 In pre-modern Isan society, after the harvest season the accumulated grains of rice used to be gathered in front of the Buddhist monastery or at the village community hall and villagers after having participated in the Bai-si-su-khwan3 and making symbolic offering of the harvested grains to the Buddhist monks took them back home in order to have much good fortune all throughout the year. In course of time, the practice of donating a part of the harvest for various social welfare projects came into origin. And today, Boonkumkhaoyai is organized on a large scale at different places and people from distant villages and provinces can come and join together in forming the giant paddy heap by donating unhusked rice for the purpose of supporting and promoting various projects related to the propagation of Buddhism and Isan culture. A reflection on the underlying ethical principles of Boonkumkhaoyai will help us to understand the original Buddhist way of life, which when viewed from the economic perspective is one of moderation, contentment, generosity and right livelihood. Boonkumkhaoyai is a typical example of how agrobased rural Isan community practices the Buddhist way of life in a genuine way and an analysis of it will show us the Buddhist approach to a balanced living, the supporting principles of which can pave the way for solving any economic crisis no matter where, when and how it originates.
Right Livelihood as endorsed in the concept of Boonkumkhaoyai: As is well-known, Right Livelihood (samm jva) is an essential component of the Ethical Conduct (Sla) that forms the foundational base of the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya-Atthangika-Magga). Right Livelihood implies abstinence from making ones living through a profession that is harmful to oneself and others, such as manufacturing of and trading in arms, ammunition, all lethal weapons, intoxicating drinks and poisons, human trafficking, butchery, cheating, etc. It is expected that a true Buddhist live by a profession which is honorable, blameless and innocuous. Right Livelihood along with Right Speech (samm vc) and Right Action (samm kammanta) form the foundation of ethical conduct that aims at promoting both
2 Chob Desuankhok, From Boonkhunkao or Boonkhunlarn to Boonkumkhaoyai in Kawpaikabboon, special issue Jan-Mar (Khonkaen: Mahachulalongkornrjavidylaya University, 2009), pp. 18-19. For the story, see Buddhist Legends Part I, trans. Eugene Watson Burlingame, (PTS, 1995), pp. 204-205. 3 It is the ceremonial tying of consecrated white thread around the wrist.
84

individual and communal happiness, peace and harmony. No higher spiritual attainments can be possible without the practice of this basic ethical conduct.4 The originators of Boonkumkhaoyai were humble folks who tilled the soil. Their descendents and bearers of the lineage and rich heritage of the land who have successfully carried on the tradition till the present era are farmers too. Since the ceremony originated in rural Isan where the majority of the population engages in farming as the chief means of livelihood, it can be assumed that Right Livelihood is endorsed in the very concept of Boonkumkhaoyai. Topographically, Northeast Thailand is a dry and arid region with scant resources, but the farmers are an industrious lot who till the soil and generally reap harvest twice annually. They mostly grow glutinous rice, the staple food of the region. And in Boonkumkhaoyai they generously give away a section of the produce that they have reaped with much toil and labor. Every grain of rice that they accumulate and donate for public welfare projects comes from effort, endeavor and perseverance. Those urban folks who flaunt their wealth while offering large sums of cash donations to monasteries without taking into consideration the significance of Right Livelihood might have to shy away in front of the Isan farmers humble but righteous donation of paddy on the occasion of Boonkumkhaoyai that can easily help raise an amount of not less than a million baht on each occasion for any public as well as monastic welfare project.
Generosity or the practice of Dna: Closely related to right livelihood is the Isan farmers inherent zeal to practice generosity at a communal level for the welfare of the entire community and society at large. In the good old days when the advances in science and technology did not touch upon the life of Isan farmers, every step in the process of paddy cultivation sowing, reaping and threshing used to be done manually with mutual assistance and co-operation. Families offered help to each other and the harvested grains were accumulated in a cleared ground for threshing jointly and at the end a section of the grain was generously donated for welfare of the entire village community as an acknowledgement of the fact of mutual co-existence and interdependence. The cash earned after selling the donated paddy could be used for construction of roads, public places, monks dwelling places (kuti), community health services, etc. Today, most farmers use tractors, threshing machines etc and each family has become quite independent. Yet, the original concept of Boonkumkhaoyai has not lost its pristine values and therefore, there is annual arrangement of this ceremony at different places in each of the nineteen provinces all over the Northeast. Mahachulalongkornrjavidylaya University, Khonkaen Campus has already
4
Walpole Rahula, What the Buddha Taught (Bangkok: Haw Trai Foundation, 1990), p. 47.
85
arranged the ceremony for two consecutive years. This year it was arranged in conjunction with the Boonphravesa Ceremony and more than three thousand peasant households from different provinces (Khonkaen, Roi-et, Kalasin, Chayaphum, Mahasarakham, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udonthani, Loei and Buriram) donated unmilled glutinous and plain variety of rice for the establishment of three different funds i) Kongthun-Sasanathayaat meaning fund for kiths-and-kins-inreligion/religious heirs. The purpose of this fund is to help and support the ecclesiastical and secular education of those monks and novices who lack selffinancial support. ii) Fund for the propagation of Buddhism aimed at Taking Dhamma to People. The objective of this fund is to provide financial support to MCU-Khonkaen Campuss radio station FM 101.75 MHz. iii) Fund for development of monks in Ecclesiastical Region 9. It is hoped that like every grain of rice that grew under the nurturing care of nature and the hand that sowed the seed, the mindful use of the cash earned from the giant paddy heap will bring true prosperity to society by setting the wheel of goodness and virtue in motion.
Moderation: In rural Isan society, generosity and moderation work in tandem, otherwise Boonkumkhaoyai would have become a defunct tradition by now. Todays consumerist culture is characterized by the trend of material indulgence more than moderation and so genuine acts of charity and generosity are hard to find. Most urban affluent families make donations preferably on a public platform for gaining applause and tax relaxation, quite unlike their counterparts in rural Isan society where people engage in charitable acts for the sake of goodness in the act itself, without any ulterior motive behind the act. Participants in Boonkumkhaoyai, although rural and rustic in appearance, can afford to be always generous because of their moderate lifestyle. They zealously take part in the traditional ceremony not for any personal benefit, but out of deep rooted faith in a holistic approach to life and the inherent goodness in the tradition. Amidst affluent urban population this kind of exemplary model may not be always obvious since easy affordability of all conveniences tend to make life centered upon spending and indulgence more than involvement in genuine acts of generosity. Even though an Isan farmers per capita income may be comparatively less than an urban white collar official or businessman, his family can practice generosity on a daily basis (offering alms food to monks), monthly basis (taking part in each monthly ceremony of Prapheni Heet Sip song), and annually (making large donations of paddy as in Boonkumkhaoyai) due to the practice of moderation and generosity. Having limited needs and being moderate in spending, a typical Isan peasant couple has not yet become a slave of the consumerist culture that has gripped the urban community.
86

Contentment: Moderation cannot be practiced if there is no contentment. Contentment to an appreciable degree is noticeable in the lifestyle and lifes philosophy of a traditional Isan farmers family. It is a fact that people who are content have fewer wants than those who are discontent. According to Buddhism, contentment implies the absence of artificial wants, i.e., the desire for sense pleasures. Compared to materialistic urban folks who blindly adhere unnecessary importance to a western styled consumerist way of behaving and thinking, Isan peasantry still has a good foundation: most people are content, not prone to extravagance, are relatively less obsessed with consumption, know the means to sufficiency economy and normally use things in a sparing manner. From the Buddhist perspective, involvement with sense-pleasure is regarded as indulgence; honing a form of desire that is not natural but artificial. Any artificial desire (tanh) triggers endless greed, selfishness, ostentation and superficial flaunting of wealth and personal possessions leading to deterioration in peoples moral standard and ethical conduct; therefore, whenever the temptation of fulfilling such desires grow strong, individuals become greedy, selfish, possessive, pretentious, jealous and ultimately ignorant of the true value of the Noble Eight-fold Path. When the tendency to fulfill artificial desires becomes the rule of the day, corruption, crimes, political upheaval, dog eat dog kind of competitiveness become rampant in society. Under such circumstances, true quality of life (chanda) that involves a balanced approach to life and encompasses right effort, diligence, industriousness, impartiality, honesty, truthfulness, moral courage and uprightness gets neglected. Therefore, the cultivation of contentment is indispensable for the maintenance of optimum moral growth and ethical standards in any society. Cultivation of true contentment leads to a clean separation of the two contradictory tendencies namely, desires for true quality of life and temptations to fulfill artificial desires, and prepares the ground for the establishment of the former. As the scholarmonk, PA Payutto puts it, Contentment understood correctly means cutting off the artificial desire for sense-pleasure but actively encouraging and supporting the desire for quality of life. In Buddhism, contentment is always paired with effort. The purpose of contentment is seen to be to save the time and energy lost in ministering to selfish desires, and using it to create and nurture true well-being5. Boonkumkhaoyai is a glorious example of how the spirit of contentment can guide collective action leading to both individual and social prosperity and true well-being.
P.A. Payutto, Buddhist Economics (Bangkok: The National Identity Board, 1994), p. 33.
87
Control of greed: The binding effect of generosity, moderation and contentment leads to the control of greed. Greed, which is inherent in human nature when given a free sway, escalates at a rapid scale bringing harm to individual and entire society through the obfuscation of all human spiritual faculties. The domino effect of avaricious actions of politicians and media tycoons in the present political scenario of Thailand clearly points to the pernicious influence of uncontrolled greed on society. In order to help flourish a healthy society free of crime and corruption, there is an exigent need to cultivate the practice of subduing, controlling and finally annihilating unfettered greed through the threefold practice of generosity, moderation and contentment. Todays consumerist culture, however, tends to capitalize on this inherently negative element in human nature. Contrary to this, is the tradition-bound rural Isan society that is restraint in approach and cherishes the culture-of-giving which is so clearly reflected in the traditional ceremony of Boonkumkhaoyai. What Buddhadasa defined as Dhammic Socialism is very much at work here. According to this philosophermonk, Dhammic Socialism (dhammika sangha-niyama) has three basic principles: the principle of the good of the whole, the principle of restraint and generosity, and the principle of respect and loving-kindness6. Dhammic Socialism, which is said to characterize the original moral (sla-dhamma) condition of individuals and society, is a hallmark of Boonkumkhaoyai.
Loving-kindness: The participants in Boonkumkhaoyai have loving-kindness deeply rooted in their hearts; otherwise, they would have been niggardly and reluctant to share the fruits of toil and labor. The desire to share implies sacrifice, which in turn originates from an innate feeling of loving kindness and compassion towards others. Mett or loving-kindness is one of the four divine qualities7 that Buddhism upholds. It is believed that the Buddha himself practiced loving-kindness and its corollary, charity, to the highest possible level during his penultimate birth as the bodhisattva, before being finally born as the Buddha. Human life would not only be spiritually dull and drab, but also all too brutal, if there is absolute lack of loving-kindness and compassion. These are great virtues, the cultivation of which helps to keep vices like greed and selfishness at bay. Such unwholesome mental states as egocentricity, egotism and megalomania that are so rampant in todays consumerist culture can find
Buddhadasa, Dhammic Socialism, (Bangkok: Thai Inter-religious Commission for Development, 1993), pp. 33-34. 7 The four divine or heavenly qualities or sublime states of mind known as Brahmavihra that Buddhism emphasizes are mett (loving-kindness), karun (compassion), mudit (empathy or sympathetic joy) and upekkh (equanimity). For a clear exposition of this, see P.A. Payutto, Buddhadhamma, (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995), pp. 236-238.
88
6

suitable cure through the practice of both loving-kindness and compassion. When mindfully practiced to the highest level, these virtues, which are rightly called heavenly abidings, can purify ones body and mind leading to complete annihilation of all sorts of clinging and attachment. Only then the path of true renunciation can be treaded upon. These virtues can give rise to other supremely admirable qualities such as: generosity, charity, selflessness, self-sacrifice, honesty, endurance, patience, forbearance, moral courage and determination. A major chunk of the Isan populace, still very much inspired by the richness of the traditional Buddhist way of life and thinking is guided by these qualities to a great degree. Therefore, despite material paucity in life the village folks engage in different types of generous acts of which Boonkumkhaoyai is a distinct example. No matter how poverty-stricken Isan people might be, they do not give lip service to religious ideals, but are real practitioners of loving-kindness at least at the level of dnamaya or meritorious action of giving.
Merit-making: Merit making is part and parcel of Thai Buddhist way of life in general and traditional Isan lifestyle epitomizes it fully. One can make merit, especially of the dnamaya8 type or meritorious action consisting in giving, in diverse ways such as by offering alms food, yellow robes and other requisites to monks, by making cashdonations for the construction of monks dwelling places (kuti) and temples, by financially supporting the ecclesiastical education of monks and novices, by bearing the cost of publication of dhamma books, by contributing to a funeral ceremony and last but not the least by giving ones time and labor for various activities in a monastery. It is very interesting to observe how Thai people have traditionally entwined their lives with the culture of merit-making. To the two attributive nomenclatures that already exist, Thailand is the land of smile and the land of yellow-robe, one can easily accord yet a third name that reveals the underlying principle behind the smile and the robe Thailand is the land of merit-making. Although merit-making in some urban settings9 has been adversely affected by the rapid modernization, consumerist culture and capitalistic mode of growth that took place in the last few decades, Isan people, on the other hand, have successfully preserved the culture of merit-making by still adhering to its pristine values and
Dnamaya is only one out of ten bases of meritorious action. For a detail of all ten bases see Dictionary of Buddhism by P.A. Payutto, (Bangkok: Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Press, 2000), pp. 109-111. 9 One instance that immediately comes to mind is Wat Dhammakya that has fetishes the cult of accumulation of merit to an unprecedented degree while wilfully misconstruing the teachings of the Buddha, especially the concept of non-substantiality (anatt). This temple has become a haven for a section of ultramodern and affluent Thais who would prefer to go for an illusionary crystal ball meditation technique rather than make a sincere effort to understand and practice Buddhadhamma in the true sense.
89
8
practicing it within the folds of the twelve-month tradition or Prapheni Heet Sip song. Therefore, merit-making still exists as a spontaneously thriving tradition and has not yet turned out to be a fetish and a means to bartering of merit. On every occasion of Boonkumkhaoyai ceremony, village folks are seen to circumambulate the giant paddy heap three consecutive times holding money-tree (tonphapa)10, yellowrobes and other offerings in their hands, before offering them to individual monks. On each such occasion, lay devotees rejoice in merit-making as they are aware that by doing so they are supporting the monastic order and are joining hands in the propagation of Buddhism. Their joint collaborative action is effective in keeping the age-old tradition of their forefathers alive. In the long run, the continuity of such collective effort will make the flame of dhamma glow with ever more incandescence rendering Buddhism a living tradition.
Egalitarian participation: Like most Isan ceremonies, Boonkumkhaoyai is a gender neutral ceremony in which men and women take part equally. The hosts of the ceremony, who donate sacks of unhusked paddy to form the giant paddy heap, are humble village folks. Interestingly, sometimes the female hosts outnumber the male hosts. Dressed in attractive hand-woven silk attires, men and women take part equally in the joyous merit-making occasion. Each village community or group has its own colorful parade with the men beating traditional Isan drums and cymbals and women folks dancing to the rhythm holding money-trees, yellow-robes, pillows, and lotuses in their hands as offerings to the monks. The parades circumambulate the giant paddy heap three consecutive times in a symbolic supplication to the Triple Gem The Buddha, The Dhamma and The Sangha before gracefully placing the offerings in front of individual monks and receiving benisons.
Belief in Kamma: Isan people, like all Buddhists throughout the world, have strong faith in the Law of Kamma. The words of the Buddha people sow their seeds determine their fruits: those who do good, receive good; those who do evil, receive evil11 are deeply implanted in the hearts of rural Isan people who try to accumulate merit for spiritual progress and a good birth in the next life. Although they might not understand the Dependent Origination and the Law of Kamma in intricate details, the general belief that one is destined to receive the results of ones action whether good or evil, aspires
10
a makeshift toy tree made of straw with many branches into which devotees needle in bamboo pins stuck with currency notes 11 Samyuttanikya I. 227
90

them to strive for positive action (kusala kamma) by such methods as merit-making. They are aware of the dominant pattern of moral validation in Buddhism that takes into account the intention (cetana) of the doer, the nature of the act, and the consequences that flow from it. Their intention to take part in a traditional ceremony like Boonkumkhaoyai suggests a positive mentality, the actual act of donating paddy reflects a meritorious action, and the consequence that will result can be expected to be positive. All participants in Boonkumkhaoyai believe that taking part in the occasion is a good action that increases the potentiality of accumulation of merits and will bring them good fortunes in the present life and ultimately prepare them for a good birth in the future. For the reason of assuring good fortunes in the present life, the host participants in Boonkumkhaoyai desire to collect a handful of grains (khaomongkhol) from the donated sack of rice to carry back home. They believe that after the offering is made and monks have chanted and blessed the giant paddy heap, each grain of rice becomes consecrated and auspicious. So they carry home a handful of it to be preserved and mixed with other rice that will be sowed in the next season with the expectation of reaping a good harvest that would enable them to continue the meritorious act of donating paddy anew the following year. The action of carrying back home a handful of consecrated grains has both concrete and symbolic meanings. At one level it shows the northeasterners strong faith in an auspicious object, and at another level it symbolically represents the flow of kamma. Just as a handful of consecrated paddy mingled with other grains is expected to produce a good harvest, good deeds when repeated will reduce and replace all evil deeds. The accruement of good deeds will not only bring good fortunes, happiness and assure a good birth in the next life, but will also lead to higher spiritual attainments.
Moral benefits the participants in Boonkumkhaoyai reap: 1. Mental well-being: As in any act of generosity, participation in Boonkumkhaoyai brings great happiness, satisfaction and solace to the humble donors. 2. Observance of the precepts: Arrangement of the ceremony and participation in it is regarded as a spiritual undertaking that is conducive to ethical practice and observance of the precepts. 3. Getting rid of defilements: The observance of the precepts and realization of the significance of dhamma in life pave the way for deletion of defilements and temptations.
91
4. Acquiring wisdom: When the path is clear and devoid of defilements, the mind gets ripe for higher spiritual attainment such as right understanding and right thought which form the basis of wisdom. 5. Endurance: Participation on the occasion and generous sharing of a part of the harvest give rise to an attitude of endurance and make people more tolerant of hardships in life. 6. Forbearance: The attitude of endurance and tolerance beget patience and forbearance. 7. Sincerity: Participation in Boonkumkhaoyai is a merit-making act that involves direct contribution towards social welfare giving rise to sincerity sincerity to the act of merit-making, to the age-old tradition and to ones own faith. 8. Social bonding: Boonkumkhaoyai is a collective undertaking that unites all participants giving rise to social harmony and solidarity. Mutual interdependence and harmonious co-existence are acknowledged and put into practice through it. 9. Sympathetic joy: The concept of my/mine gets reduced when people take part in Boonkumkhaoyai. The desire to donate unmilled rice to form the giant paddy heap comes from loving-kindness and compassion and when the effort is seen to directly contribute to social and religious welfare it gives rise to sympathetic joy. 10. Accumulation of merit: Participation in the ceremony enhances the potentiality of accumulation of merits. Suppose one cannot see the result of such good action directly, the preceding nine benefits in themselves can be regarded as the direct result of the meritorious act. As mentioned aforesaid a reflection on Boonkumkhaoyai will enable us to understand the true Buddhist way of life vis--vis a consumerist way of living and behaving. Economists and finance experts today are generally supportive of a materialistic way of life and their theories and suppositions are grounded on a nonBuddhist approach simply because Buddhism is not supportive of any form of excess and non-ethical means. Although economists interpret any past, on-going or impeding economic crisis in theoretically loaded terms and terminology, looked at from the Buddhist perspective, it is clear that any crisis takes place whenever there is an imbalance in the practice of ethical conduct. The world is never rid of crises economic crisis, ecological crisis, communal war and conflict because the world is never empty of defilements. The paradox of the present day world situation is that the values we have enumerated above, as reflected in the traditional ceremony of
92

Boonkumkhaoyai from rural Isan, are deficiently lacking in society at large and particularly among affluent power holders and policy makers. In todays highly consumerist culture, people tend to give only lip service to moral and ethical principles; consequently, generosity gave way to ostentation, moderation to hoarding, contentment to insatiability, control of greed to indulgence, loving-kindness to selfcenteredness, compassion to indifference, merit-making to accumulation of wealth and bank balance and belief in ones action to masquerading. When all these negative developments gather momentum, regional or worldwide economic meltdown becomes inevitable. The Asian Crisis of 1997 originated under the tremendous pressure that built up due to steady escalation of various negative forces, such as: overconsumption, crony capitalism, debt, default, excessive real estate speculation, all of which point at the deterioration of moral and ethical standard. Economists, however, talked only about such surface phenomena as the floating of the currency, deflation, devaluation of the baht, recession and finally, the bursting of The Bubble. Underneath the statistical data and economic analyses lay layers of truth unrevealing which will have to begin with such simple questions as Why did The Bubble originate at all and why did it ultimately burst? Will not such economic depression occur again? The answer is, economic crisis will repeat itself and with ever more devastating force if ethical problems are not taken into serious consideration and moral standards both at the national and international level are not maintained. The Buddhist perspective on any economic crisis will focus on the Right Way of Practice that incorporates right livelihood, practice of generosity, moderation, contentment, control of greed, lovingkindness and compassion, merit-making, egalitarianism, and belief in the Law of Kamma or volitional actions. The Buddhist approach is the Middle Way approach that denies two extremes living in abject poverty and indulgence in wealth and materialism. Although the dominant mainstream lifestyle and way of thinking today tends to override this Middle Way approach, exemplary model such as Boonkumkhaoyai that exist on the periphery ought to be highlighted in order to counteract and minimize superficial and vacuous elements in todays consumerist culture which is based on extremes such as overconsumption, indulgence, unfair competition and hoarding of wealth. It can be concluded that Boonkumkhaoyai is a Buddhist paradigm of balanced living based on holistic principles through which the great ideal of the Buddhas teachings for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the many (bahujanahitya bahujanasukhya loknukampya) is manifested in its microcosm. This is a tradition that is exemplary enough to be emulated in its exact form or modified version by any concerned people. Suppose it is difficult to implement it in exact form due to various cultural barriers, one can at least imbibe the core essence of the ceremony in its spirit and practice it in a way that
93
might be possibly appropriate in ones own cultural background manifesting the underlying principles of commitment to selfless giving and communal welfare. Thai-Isan Traditions Prapheni Heet Sip-song: No
1
Name of the Tradition

Boonkhaokam
Time/Season
after harvest during mid/late November end of harvest winter season early January-early February The Buddhist All Saints Day last week of February or early March March
Related Activity/Purpose
intensive practice of Dhamma listening to sermons, practice of meditation, reading Dhamma books; it is the period of purification both for monks and laymen invitation of Buddhist monks to ones home for chanting and blessing of the harvest/granary; making merit by offering the giant paddy heap merit-makings are performed in observance of the great events of the Buddhas time; celebration of Magha Puja on the full moon day monks chanting of Vessantara Jtaka (Wetsandorn Chdok) the story of Mahcht or The Great Birth Traditional Thai New Year celebration; meritmaking, construction of sand pagoda, bathing of the Buddha Statue, bathing Buddhist monks, honoring (Bangsukul) ancestors bones, fish and bird release merit-making, asking for rain from God, worship the guardian spirit (deva) bringing of sand, small stones and water in a big jar and white consecrated tread to the central hall of the temple to be blessed by the monks and which are then carried back home as symbols of ablution and purification; Buddhist monks are invited for chanting on two consecutive nights and on the third day meal is offered to the monks celebration of Asalha Puja to commemorate the Buddhas deliverance of the First Sermon to the faithful disciples; celebration of the advent of the three-months long Buddhist Lent merit-making, decoration of the earth with rice, sweets, areca palm and betel leaves as offerings to deceased relatives merit-making in the honor of spirits and ones own ancestors ritual offering of alms food to monks (Takbatra-Devo) to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent presentation of yellow robes and other necessary items to monks
Boonkhunlarn or Boonkamkhaoyai
Boonkhaojee
Boonphraves
Boonsongkran
13-15 April
Boonbang-fai
May Rocket festival
Boonchamha or Boonberkbaan
June Ablution ceremony
Boonkhaophans
late July/early August Asalha Puja commencement of the Buddhist Lent August ceremony for dead relatives September sharing of food with spirits October End of Buddhist Lent November Robeoffering ceremony
94
9 10 11 12
Boonkhao Padabdin Boonkhaosak Boon Orkphansa Boon Kathin
Dhammacakka as the Commencement of Proper Economy: Buddhist Perspective
Phramaha Somphong Santacitto, PhD Candidate Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
Introduction: This paper aims at examining and exploring the early idea of economics and its developments in Buddhist approach. Cakka has a wide range of meanings and their roles have made great symbolic contributions to various concepts: economically, politically and religiously (certainly in Buddhism). Cakka as gear
Economics
Politics
Cakka
wheel driving the proper economy and proper politics:
I would like to express special thanks to P.A. Payutto, the eminent scholar of Buddhism of Thailand in the present-day for his proposing this idea for the revolution of economics and politics in Buddhist principle and way by view of cakka valuable to economic sustainability and politic stability. As we know, the more the world advances and progresses materially: scientifically, technologically, economically, and politically, the most people are unhappy about their lessening quality of spiritual life. Be possessed of with better education, they live and survive at midst of advanced sciences and technology, better free-market economics and up-to-date politic system. But it turns out that the world still encounters the global crisis whether it is environmental, economic, political and social. How do people integrate the idea of Dhamma into material, physical and social development or even, especially, economics? Some hold that Buddhism has no relationship with the worldly concerns, as accused by Weber. This idea can no longer be stated as being valid by modern Buddhist and non-Buddhist scholars. Many
95
teachings of the Buddhism indicating the issue of economics, society, and politics also propose the resolution available and approachable to sustainability. The Buddhist teachings never overlooked human happiness in the worldly life (here and now). Thats why in this paper, the idea of economics commenced simultaneously the first discourse (Dhammacakkappavattanasutta). Even Dhamma has the vital importance to life and society and why the Buddha brought the Cakka for his first sermon as the debut and launching his founding symbolism of his principle. That means Cakka has the impact on the lifestyle and society as a whole. Dhammacakka as highlight of this paper is worthy answering why the Buddha started with the Dhamma representing Buddhism and Cakka representing how both Dhammacakka and worldly concerns (economics, politics, and society) are interrelated and interconnected. This paper only focuses on economics aspect according to Buddhist approach.
Outline: This paper first presents the definition and classification of the cakka making contribution to the economic activity and presents the idea of Buddhism pertaining to economic aspect through the idea of Cakka as gear wheel rolling in motion for the progress and prosperity of world civilization. The second session is to understand development of cakka to different human ages. We know, in economical circle wherever wheel (Cakka) roll or move forward it would be a better place for economy as well as for the political purpose. The chariot wheel moves anywhere, with power. Here this paper offers an understanding of Dhammacakka with its purpose of not only the religious and spiritual matters but also worldly concerns. In the reductionist world, the difference between secular and religious is obvious. Personally, I would not say that it is not only a matter of religious way but also to basic needs which are economics and politics. Even economics (right livelihood) is for the individual life whilst politics for the social life. As right livelihood, right action, and right speech are relevant to contemporary economic context. All factors relate these contemporary economic activities to the sustainable and strengthening ones. The Dhammacakkappavattanasutta, first discourse uttered by the Buddha should be the first one amongst all suttas, related to worldly dimensions and concerns whether it be economic, social, and politic. It is also revolutionary for the human civilization that refers to good economics and politics associated with Dhamma. Finally, Cakka and Dhammacakka contribution of cakka to world and Thai economics will be discussed.
96
The wheels shown here are a relatively sophisticated in comparison to the earliest models. In th he case of a fixed f axle, the e wheel is hel ld in place be eside the chassis by a small peg g and revolves s independent of o the axle. (T This model diff fers from r standard desi ign, the movin ng axle, in which w the axle is firmly fixe ed to the another wheel and a the two components c re evolve as a un nit.) Early for rms of roller bearings, b devices that help whe eels to turn more smoothly, were w developed d around 100 bc. b
Th he invention of o the wheel
97
Dha armacakka is called c the "Wh heel of Dharma a" and found in i the eight-spo oked form. It is re epresented as one o of symbol lism of Buddhism
The e wheel is also o the prominen nt figure on the e flag of India. . The wheel in n this case represents law (Dha amma). It also o appears in the t flag of th he Romani peo ople, heir nomadic history h and the eir Indian origi ins. hinting to th
Cakka Defi finition: Wh heel1 (Pali: Ca akka or Sanskr rit: Cakra) is literally a circ cular device ro ound shape in ori iginal sense, the wheel of chart, wheel of f chariot, car that t are capabl le of rotating on its axis, facil litating movem ment or transp portation or pe erforming labo or in machines. In I its simplest t form, the wh heel was a so olid wooden disk d mounted on a
1
Wikipedia, th he free encyclope edia.htm Etymologicall ly, The English word w wheel comes s from the Proto-I Indo-European *kwekwlo-, which was w an w extended form m of the root *k ele meaning "to re evolve, move arou und". This is also o the root of the Greek G kuklos s, the Sanskrit ch hakra, and Persia an charkh, all me eaning "circle" or r "wheel", and al lso in Lithuanian, su ukti means "to ro otate". The Latin word rota is from m the Proto-Indo o-European *rot-, the extended o-gra ade form of the ro oot *ret- meaning g "to roll, revolve" "
98

round axle, to which it was secured by wooden pins. Eventually sections were carved out of the disk to reduce the weight and radial spokes were devised about 2000 BC. Cakka is object with its circle that is circular shape with static state. Another characteristic is that it is movable, it moves with circulation. Ring circulates and is movable shape. So, cakka with 2 meanings: circular shape and movable such as the steering wheel. So in later sense, this is wheel. The revolving wheel has symbolized human civilization so far. Originally, cakka is normal circle such as the physical eyes, (akkhimanhala) because it can revolve and roll meaning cakka (akkhicakka). This is the small cakka. Bigger and larger is cakkars then cakkhavala called cakka. Even in Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) Klacakka has been popularly practiced temporally and spiritually. Cakka has a vital role in Buddhist teachings not only for the Buddha Dhamma but also for the temporal matters. In Pali Canon (Tipitaka) there are some suttas called cakka sutta, with its contents called cakkadhamma.2 This sutta also guarantees the wealth and plenty of happiness if one follows it.3 This Dhamma is figuratively comparable to the four wheels that carry a vehicle to its destination.4
Cakka Sutta.- On the four wheels that lead to prosperity: dwelling in fit places, association with the good, perfect self adjustment (attasammpanidhi) and merit done aforetime. A.ii.32 f.; D.iii.276; cf. Mangala Sutta. Cakka Sutta. A king who knows the good (attha) Dhamma, the measure (matta), the season (kla), and the nature of his assemblies (paris) wields dominion that cannot be wrested from him. A Buddha's dominion is also the same. A.iii.147. 1. vsa Sappya : suitable abode 2. Puggala Sappaya : suitable person 3. hara Sappaya : suitable food 4. Dhamma Sappaya : suitable doctrine. Cakka Vagga.- The fourth chapter of the Catukka Nipta of the Anguttara Nikya. A.ii.32-44 Cakka: 'wheel', is one of the seven 'precious possessions' (ratana) of a righteous World Emperor (cakkavatti: 'He who owns the Wheel,' cf. D. 26), and symbolizes conquering progress and expanding sovereignty. From that derives the figurative expression dhamma-cakkam pavatteti, 'he sets rolling the Wheel of the Law' and the name of the Buddha's first sermon, Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta (s. Dhamma-cakka). Another figurative meaning of C. is 'blessing'. There are 4 such 'auspicious wheels' or 'blessings': living in a suitable locality, company of good people, meritorious acts done in the past, right inclinations (A. IV, 31). 2 "If you dwell in a civilized place, make friends with the noble ones (Ariyans),2 rightly direct yourself, and have made merit in the past, there will roll2 to you, crops, wealth, status, honor, & happiness."2 http://www.budsir.org/Part2_2.htm 3 "If you dwell in a civilized place, make friends with the noble ones (Ariyans), rightly direct yourself, and have made merit in the past, there will roll to you, crops, wealth, status, honor, & happiness." 4 http://www.budsir.org/Part2_2.htm
99
Potters wheel
d of onager-drawn carts on the e Sumerian "b battle standard of A depiction Ur" (circa 3200 3 BC)
Caravan Wa agon rolled by y wheels
an moved for world w civilizatio on Carava
The e word cakk ka can be pu ut before and d after noun with transfor rmed 5 meanings su uch as prefix Cakravla , Cakkavattir C j, Cakkavutha and a suffix suc ch as Dhammacak kka, Kumphac cakka, bhava-c cakka, klacak kka.
The lower levels l of the univ verse, that is, the e realms of sensu uality, arrange th hemselves into va arious distinct world d discs (cakavala). At the center of a cakavala is the great world mountain, Sume eru or Meru.
100

Cakka (wheel) is considere ed one of the most m importan nt inventions in n human history; ; the wheel is more than 50 000 years old and has been crucial to me echanical devices and economic cal and politica al purposes ev ver since it eme erged. Initially y, wheels were so olid disks, but t gradually evo olved into the e spoked desig gn, which is both light and stro ong. Wheeled vehicles are believed to have appeared after the inve ention of potters s wheel, and the wheeled cart soon re eplaced the sl ledge as a means m of transpor rtation. The in nvention of the e wheel was a major turning g point in the advance of hum man civilization n. The wheel led to more efficient use of animal po ower for agricult ture and other work. It becam me an invaluab ble mechanica al means of controlling the flow w and direction n of power or force. f The app plications of th he cakka in mo odern life and tec chnology are virtually v infini ite including the t water whe eel, the cogwh heel, the spinning wheel and the astrolabe or torquetum m. More moder rn descendant ts of the wheel include i the pr ropeller, the je et engine, the e flywheel (gy yroscope), the turbine, comput ter devices: CP PU, Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD, and DVD D. Wheels had d exerted influenc ce over every aspect. With cakka as a to ool for econom my and politic cs, many differen nt forms of cak kka such as waterwheel, w a potters p wheel l involve. Als so cakka relates religious r aspec ct dhammacak kka, prayer wh heel, wheel of f life, wheel of f law, 24 wheels of the sun god ds chariot, esp pecially Indian n religions, Bud ddhism and Hi induism.
Sun gods cha ariot
Dham mmacakka
101
A pair of wh heels on a cart t
Modern n Motorcycle Wheel with disck-bra ake
St team-train
lassification and Function: Cakka - Cl The e Cakka is a device d that ena ables efficient movement of an object acro oss a surface whe ere there is a force pressing g the object to o the surface for f instance, a cart drawn by a horse, and the e rollers on an aircraft flap mechanism. m He ence, in this pa aper, f purposes, functions, and influences i wil ll be three kinds of Cakka in the terms of nd broken apar rt as follows: proposed an 1.1 Eco onomic Cakka 1.2 Political Cakka amma Cakka 1.3 Dha
Cakka for Economics: Wh hen cakka arise es, it is excitin ng to bring about comfort an nd prosperity until it becomes the symbol of f prosperity an nd civilization. Because mat terially progre ess is ugh vehicle with w wheel (cakka) rapidly, in Red China C called leap made throu progress. Cakka C become es the communication and transportation t vehicles for trade t with differe ent forms such h as carriages (yna), cart (vayha), ( a cha ariot (ratha)6 and a a wagon (ska k a).7 In the pa ast, commerce e was moved forward f by car ravan (cakka) from f one place, region r or count try to another. This cakka is purposely mo oved for comm merce or economics. Trade was rapidly on in ncrease leading g to culture, co ommunication n and A knowledge e is transmitte ed through tra ade. Even var rious convey of knowledge. All ions (Hinduism m, Christianity y, Mohammeda anism and Bud ddhism) are sp pread world religi near and fa ar through trad de as well. Wh heels are there efore, symbols s of prosperity y and lofty civiliz zation. The Sil lk Road silk moved m by whee els causing eco onomic progre ess the west me et the east and the east met th he west.
6 7
Ratha is not only a part of the war machine, bu ut also used for rid ding and driving and a trade purpose e. It was essen ntially used for goods. g The people e travelled in car ravans especially y when the roads were unsafe. Some caravans were ac ccompanied by ar rmed guards. A caravan c leader wa as an important person p b symbolic of big merchants. . and the term became
102

Cakka has had played an important role in economic activity including production, working, purchasing, distribution, spending or consumption. This is conducive to materially economic progress. Cakka helps mobilize economics in the every sector. Especially production, manufacturing, cakka in form of kumpakra or potters wheel or spinning wheel. Hence, in this sense, cakka rolls on representing the economics.
Cakka for Politics: Having been moved by economics, this symbolizes the warriors authorities until this period, warrior (King, Temporal Leader) had the warring cars or charts. In those periods, all wars were waged by elephants, horses, infantry, and supply cabin car and military hardware, the period of power extension. Cakka symbolizes the car, pushing the car move on. In this sense, it crushes on the land symbolizing power, meaning power-extending whenever it rolls on. Power brings about the name kingdom (Anacakka temporal dominion) for which the land of power moves, this is called the wheel of power. Formerly, wheel of power moves wherever, it becomes the land of warrior or king called power of king, warrior. As appeared in Anguttara Nikya Dukanipta it is a matter of Buddha on his discourse on a king called Pacetana ordered his mechanic to make a wheel (cakka) in order to wage war. This indicates the Cakka for political purpose. Cakka represents the power which symbolizes the politics. In some discourses Buddha proclaims himself as Dhammarj (king of Dhamma) and Srputta as dhamasenpati (minister of Dhamma who takes the role of a messenger of a king) Dhammaraja Dhammasenpati. For instances, the Ashoka army moved anywhere. The Cakkavattirj (universal monarch or literally Wheel Turning King) he is not only regarded as the symbol of sovereignty, but also in Buddhist sense the good model of good government. He symbolizes the cakka for politics. Cakka (Wheel) is one of seven royal treasures8 possessed by him as Roll onwards O! Jewel of the Wheel, and
Seven Royal Treasures:The Wheel, the Elephant, the Horse, the Gem, the Woman, the Treasurer and the Adviser One of the seven treasures of a Cakkavatti. When a Cakkavatti is born into the world, the Cakkaratana appears before him from the Cakkadaha, travelling through the air (J.iv.232). The Cakkaratana is the Cakkavatti's chief symbol of office; on its appearance before him, he sprinkles it with water and asks it to travel to the various quarters of the world, winning them for him. This the Cakkaratana does, carrying with it through the air the Cakkavatti with his fourfold army. Wherever the Cakkaratana halts, all the chiefs of that quarter acclaim the Cakkavatti as their overlord and declare their allegiance to him. Having thus traversed the four quarters of the earth, it returns to the Cakkavatti's capital, and remains fixed as an ornament on the open terrace in front of his inner apartments (D.ii.173f; M.iii.173ff). The Commentaries (E.g., DA.ii.617ff; MA.ii.942ff) contain lengthy descriptions of the Cakkaratana: it is shaped like a wheel, its nave is of sapphire, the centre of which shines like the orb of the moon, and round it is a band of silver. It has one thousand spokes, each ornamented with various decorations; its tire is of bright coral; within every tenth spoke is a coral staff, hollow inside, which produces the sounds of the fivefold musical instruments when blown upon by the wind. On the staff is a white parasol, on
103
8
conquer. Such wheel rolled onwards every direction (east, west, south, and north) in the same manner with his fourfold army. Where so ever the Jewel of the Wheel stopped, the king along with his army stopped. The local king welcomed him through his territory he passed and he said Come, sir, you are welcome, sir, (all is) yours, sir instruct (us) sir. The Wheel Turning King said thus, You shall not kill the living beings, or steal, or act wrongly in regard to sense pleasures, or tell a lie, or take strong drink. You shall eat in moderation In this case, the wheel rolled on very boundary of the earth and the ocean. Cakka in this sense clearly put, in comparison to the tours of Asoka, undertaken for the propagation of Dhamma rather than the progress of an all conquering hero. These stories helped define notions of Buddhist kingship throughout Asia, and gave specificity to the mythic model of the wheelturning, dharma upholding cakravartin. From Sri Lanka to Japan, monarchs were inspired by the image of Ashoka as a propagator of the religion, distributor of wealth, sponsor of great festivals, builder of monasteries, and guarantor of peace and prosperity. In particular, the legend of his construction of eighty-four thousand stpas motivated several Chinese and Japanese emperors to imitate it with their own schemes of relic and wealth distribution, which served to unify their countries and ritually reassert their sovereignty. In this sense, cakka means things crush on the land whenever it rolls it crushes on lands indicating the use of power, by using power meaning pressing, persecuting, and destroying. From the angle of wheel of car to the weapon of the preserver God Narai, in Hindu sense, it is called Cakravuth. He has his own weapon, cakravutha of Narai has its characteristics with its saw-toothed rim. When he was angry with someone or at something, he would throw out to behead or decapitate. This clearly symbolizes power. Also punishment in the domain of peta (hungry ghost) uses cakka for crushing on head. Politically cakka is used as the sense of power, violence, punishment, sanction, penalty, and criminal.
either side of which are festoons of flowers. When the wheel moves, it appears like three wheels moving one within the other. In Buddhist tradition, the ideal ruler was described as cakravartin (wheel turning king or universal ruler) and dharmarj, or as a bodhisattva. Cakravartins have the thirty-two marks of a great man, rule in accordance with dharma, and preside over an age of peace. Buddhist rulers have claimed the right to purify the religion and to judge the teachings. In China, the emperor presided over debates between representatives of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, pronouncing the winner at the end of the day. Various state laws provided some legal backing, such as tax exemptions, to monastic institutions. Conceding that the ruler has a legitimate role to play in reducing the bad karma of crime, the sangha has performed rituals to protect the ruler and the state. When a Cakkavatti dies or leaves the world, the Cakkaratana disappears from the sight of men for seven days; it gives warning of a Cakkavatti's impending death by slipping from its place some time before the event (D.iii. 59f.; MA.ii.885). When his successor has lived righteously for seven days, it reappears (D.iii.64). It is the most precious and the most honored thing in the world. UdA.356.
104
Cakkas as veh hicle for politi ics and moving g on for politic cs.
A small ca atapult with wheels w would have been used d in battle So cakk ka for the polit tics rolls for th he purpose of power p only, wh hether it is righ hteous, just, or unjust with its s dependence on o the next thir rd cakka.
105
Dhamm macakka: A Apart from th he cakka for both economy y and poli itics, cakka for Dhamma a (Dhammaca akka9), is new and revolutio onary to suppo ort the two for rmer kinds of f cakka. Thats s why the Bud ddha proposes s and proclaim ms Dhammaca akka as the first fi sermon in n order to only y be content with both fo ormer cakkas but continue e with the dh hammacakka. The two former r cakkas are abused a or misu used for the purpose p of ph hysical or mat terial benefits, po ower, violence, , persecution, rivalry r withou ut Dhamma. Wh heel of Law (Sanskrit, Dharm ma Chakra), Buddhist B symbo ol representing g the Four Noble e Truths and th he Eightfold Path, P the basic teachings of Buddhism. B Th his is known as The Turning of the Wheel l of Law. Th he earliest ico onography, aro ound second cen ntury BC, the e Dhamma-ca akka featured an anti-conic c symbol for r the Buddha, wh hich was repre esented either on o or above a vacant throne e, flanked on either side by two o or more gaz zelles, signifyi ing the Deer Park (Sarnath) where w the Budd dha first preach hed, or on top of a column (Sa anskrit, cakras stambha), the column signif fying the axis mu undi (another cosmic symbo ol), In later ic conic representati ion, this sym mbolism is inscribed i on the Buddha's body and the soles s of his feet f or held in n his hands.
Do not get co onfused between Dhammacakka and a Cakkadhamm ma. The Former is the main theme of o this paper whi ich is a first discou urse of all deliver red by the Buddha a. The latter is a kind k of Dhamma category which presents about the t wheel leading g to progress and success. s It is Dhammac cakka that Buddha rolls Dhamma and a cakka in moti ion, cakka and Dh hamma in motion n, moves cakka in i righteous way, cakka with Dham mma practice. It is Dhammac cakka that Buddha establishing him mself in Dhamma a, setting himself in i Dhamma and having people in Dhamma rolls s cakka in motion n. It is Dhamma acakka that Buddh ha attaining the ex xpertise in Dhamm ma and teaching people p to attain th he expertise in Dh hamma rolls cakk ka in motion. It is Dhammac cakka that Buddha achieving the Dhamma D and teach hing people to ach hieve the Dhamm ma rolls cakka in motion. It is Dhammac cakka that Buddha achieving the br raveness in Dham mma and teaching g people to achiev ving the braveness in Dhamma rolls cakka in motion. It is Dhammac cakka that Buddha Honor, pay respect, worship, pa ays homage to Dh hamma having Dhamma as flag, Dhamma as pinnacle p rolls cakk ka in motion. Etc. .
106

Dhamma-cak kka, or dham mma-cakra, (Pali, Sanskrit) S "The Wheel of the Dhamma," represen nts the motif of o the many spoke-wheel (actually 8) which is the distinctive e symbol of y it signified th he Buddha's Buddhism. Originally p hi is Dhamma to o the world. act of proclaiming The mo omentous signi ificance of this event was portraye ed in canonical sources by comparing the Bud ddha to the tem mporal leader (monarch ( or universal cakkava attirj) wh ho claims sovereig gnty by driv ving the whe eels of his chariot throughout the e earth; in cou urse of time the e dhammacakk ka has come to o signify Buddhist teachings. Though T Buddh hism derived th he wheel symb bol from ancie ent Vedic w it signif fied the sun's disc, symbol lizing cosmic order, and th he king's ritual where chariot wheel, symbo olizing royal sovereignty s an nd power, Dha ammacakka in ntegrated as of heavenl ly and earthly y power into one single co oncept. Theref fore, the the idea Buddhists when ado opting the wheel as symbo olizing themse elves were str riving to strate that the Buddha's teac chings have a universal, cos smic significan nce. The demons Dhamm ma-cakka is de epicted above entrances to Buddhist B temp ples, or their gateways g through hout Asia. When eight spoke es are depicted d, or held in his h hands, this signifies the eigh htfold path (a hangika-magg ga) or the eigh ht cardinal poi ints of the com mpass. In Vajaray yana iconograp phy, the wheel is placed on n a lotus pedes stal and encirc cled by a halo, which symboliz zes the essentia al world of the e Buddhas. In Eastern Asia Buddhist B 10 nze wheels as s ritual imple ements. This s is called c cakka of monks use gilt bron ma even the wheel w of power r and economy y moves perhap ps, this would conduce Dhamm to the disaster d or turm moil such as wa ar, persecution n, injustice, vio olence, this is negative side of wheel of pow wer and econom my. This wou uld not end up with only two o former d economy). Hence, H it is dhammacakka a that is refle ected on wheels (politics and mic, politic dim mensions. This s leads Dhamma along with h both econom mics and econom politics. This Dhamm macakka arise es and is pro oposed by the e Buddha thro ough his unprece edented first sermon s called Dhammacakk kappavattanasu utta. This sutt ta is the discourse of wheel of o Dhamma in n motion, also o sutta of hum man revolution n, newly proclaim med implying g that econom my and politi ics would no ot be proper, without Dhamm ma. Therefore, Dhamma sho ould be couple ed and parallel led with econo omy and power. Instead, not only o ancakka a (dominion) there is, but al lso dhammaca akka this would roll r the wheel l of Dhamma in motion and d extending fo orwards. Wher rever the wheel of o Dhamma rolls, r within reach, r the golden land or the land of stability, solidarity, and secur rity is also th here. reached d Rspatana (in ( other text ts called ana; Pli, Isipa atana) near Be enares, and here he delivere ed his first serm mon, the Rsivada
10
See A.G G.H. Bowker, Joh hn, The Oxford Dictionary of Worl ld Religions, New w York, Oxford University U Press, 1997, p. 274.
107
famous Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta, the discourse at Benares by which the wheel of the dharma was Set into Motion. In this sermon, the Buddha explained the middle way between the extremes of luxury and asceticism, the Four Noble Truths (the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the extinction of suffering, and the truth of the eightfold path leading to the extinction of suffering), as well as the impersonality of all beings. Therefore, dhammacakka falls under 3 meanings: first - wheel of Dhamma proclaimed and rolled forward by the Buddha and extended near and far by the four assemblies led by monks; second - symbolizes the preaching of a Buddha. Dharma wheel is likened to a wheel because it crushes all defilements; and third, land reached by the wheel of Dhamma (dhammacakka) becomes the Dhamma land. So Dhammacakka means wheel of Dhamma proclaimed and Dhamma crushing all defilements and the Dhamma land. This means Buddha proclaimed dhammacakka, rolled the Dhamma in motion and established dhammacakka in whichever land it reaches. In this above, the wheel, the chart, the chariot, the car and vehicle there must be a way leading to, middle way, and dhammacakka is a wheel of Dhamma rolled along the middle way. Having understood cakka and dhammacakka, this is a big issue, relates to, matters and contributes to world civilization since past to present. When Cakka arises, civilization moves. In today society, two are used for cakka:- Ssanacakka (Religious dominion) and Anacakka (temporal dominion). From my point of view even we call ssanacakka. It still represents the power or institute like anacakka. Both with their positive and negative side are partially different from Dhammacakka with its good side. A wheel alone can also symbolize the dhammacakka and the first sermon, especially if it is surrounded by two deer to indicate the context of the teaching. This symbol is commonly sculpted on Mahyna and Vajrayna monasteries or temples, as well as on early iconic monuments.
Development of Cakka and Its Contributions to Civilization:
Economics for World
Next, in this paper, Cakka contribution to economics and its development will be analyzed according to its age or order of time in order to make clear of its functions and benefits to world. In agricultural age, cakka (wheel) of vehicles is simply used for road or small business. Then in industrial age, more and more cakkas (wheels) were complexly used for industry and engine whether it is a gear wheel, a block, motor, or a wind wheel. Presently, in Digital Age, cakka has its shape and uses transformed into smaller shape and wider benefits and power.
108

As we know w, in those da ays, cakka ha as played imp portant role in n human lifestyle e in ancient age those days s of the Buddh has time and d later time be efore the industri ial age in Eur rope. Cakka contributions c to human civ vilization led to chart, chariot, and caravans. This led to wheels, w vehicle es. For, those are a used for commerce, business, culture, an nd power ext tension. Apart t from that, evidently, in part of product tion, a potters s wheel called kumbhakra when w molding g pottery on th he device or tool called cakka or o in full kumb bhakra meani ing cakka of potter (potters wheel) that is a fundamental l technology. The wheels of chart and ch hariot are believed the prolong ged technology y with its evo olutionary deve elopments in human history y and its contribu ution to world d economics. Cakka arises or occurs in n order to pus sh chart, chariot, wagons, and d vehicles forw ward for bette er economics thoroughly. t E Economic activitie es including pr roduction, exc change or purc chase, marketi ing, consumpti ion were in prosp perity. Comm munication and d transportation ns are easy sp pacious and ac ccessible called th he dawn of the e civilization. This T is called the t agricultura al age.
Wheeled d carriages
A water w wheel
a spinning wheel w
Cak kkas are show wn as the symbo ol of agrarian age.
In industrial l age later, the e turn of next age a is called age of industr ry. Even this, thi is age concerns s cakka that moves m on and on. o Cakka of Narai N Hindu Go od which is of sa aw-tooth plays s an importan nt role in engine called the cogs of a gea ar wheel symboli izes industry. This is so imp portant that it revolves around its axis. Without this kind of f cakka, indust try would not work and mo ove. It is said that t Industrial l age has ontributions to o world throug gh wheels that t move both cakka c with smooth rim made co and its saw-tooth. Un ntil present we eird cakka has been developed in various forms so
109
that human could travel in i the space. Car C with high speed and airp plane are prod ducts of peak of industrial i age turn into telec communication from turbine e (turbo-prope eller) to turbojet even e spacecraf fts.
Wheel on n a stream Locomo otive
p Ship propeller
Turbo o Engine
C Cakkas with ch hanged forms shown s here are e the symbols of o industrial ag ge
Acc cessible and rapid transport tation with tra ansformed cak kka as the pea ak of industrial ag ge Fro om the turn of industrial i age to information n technology (I IT) computer is i the leading key. Simply put, p the comput ter age, in the computer age, , the most s CPU (central l processing un nit). Even important of components of computer is w only CPU is not enough just as human n with only bra ain cannot work k computer with and car with h its engine in the front parts s cannot work if no wheels. Cars C cannot be ea useful work king car. And aero a plane with h engine but no blade and tu urbojet would not n
110

work. Cakka C which ta akes us to the prosperity p of th his age is calle ed disc or dis sk.11 In technol logical age, we are living un nder the advanc ce in economics through refo formed cakka called c disk, har rd disk and Co ompact Disc (C CD) Digital Video Disc ( DV VD ), the 2 world of o cyberspace12 through the web w of internet t can be interli inked and repla ace a part of lifestyle. l With h the advance in developmen nt of the compu uter and intern net as tools of f telecommunic cation, the eco onomics makes s progress rapi idly. Now it is a conjunc cture of ages.
D DVD
Hard Disc D
http://e en.wikipedia.org/ /wiki/disc or disk Disc or disk ma ay refer to Data sto orage: Aluminum m disc, a magnetic recording disc us sed mainly for early radio recordin ngs; Blu-ray Disc, , a high-density optical disc intended mainly for video storage; Compac ct Disc, a form of optical disc used mainly for audio data; Disc film m, a still-photograp phy film format; Disk D storage, a ge eneral category of f data storage mec chanisms; DVD, a form f of optical dis sc used mainly fo or video and other r data; Enhanced Versatile V Disc, an n optical medium-b based digital audi io/video format under u developmen nt (shortform EVD D); Floppy disk, a magnetic data stora age device using a flexible disc; Ha ard disk drive, a non-volatile n magn netic data storage device; HD DVD D, a high-density optical o disc intend ded mainly for vid deo storage; Holo ographic Versatile e Disc , a next gene eration ultra-high-density optical disc d format replace ement for bluray; ; Laserdisc, the fir rst commerc cial optical disc st torage medium; MiniDisc, M a magne eto-optical disc-based data storage device; Optical disc, d a polycarbon nate disc; RAM di isk, a volatile soli id state drive; Tra anscription disc, a gramopho one record; Vinyl l-disc, a record co ombining a CD or r DVD and a gram mophone; and a generic name for secondary storag ge in a computer 12 Cybers space, in comput ter jargon, the co ommunity of netw worked computers and the cultur re that has developed among users of f these computers. The term was coined by Ameri ican writer Willia am Gibson and first used in his 1984 4 science fiction novel Neuroman ncer, in which he e described cyber rspace as a place of unthinkable com mplexity. The te erm has given ris se to a vocabular ry of cyberterms s, such as cybercaf s (cafes that se ell coffee and co omputer time), cybermalls c (onlin ne shopping serv vices), and cyberjunk kies (people addic cted to being online).
111
11
Personal l Computer com mponents
Cak kkas with sma aller unit and more m power an nd wider benef fits are symbo ols of Digital Age e Connecting individual com mputers to ea ach other crea ates networks. The Internet is a series of inte erconnected ne etworks. Perso onal computers s and workstat tions are connected to a Local Area A Network (LAN) by eith her a dial-up connection c thro ough a standard phone p line or by b being direc ctly wired into the LAN. Other O a modem and modes of data d transmiss sion that allow w for connec ction to a netw work include T-1 connections s and dedicate ed lines. Bridg ges and hubs link multiple networks to each other. Rout ters transmit data through h networks an nd determine the best path h of transmission n.
112
akkas as the sy ymbol of Info ormation Tech hnology age Ca
In today society, everywh here in the wo orld economic c system is de eveloped materia ally with capitalism or free-market. It is all a about capit tal and materi ials. It is complex x and of multi-dimension. In today wo orld society, evidently, e ther re are 2 factions s of world: Faction materially m led by b greed (lobh ha) the material lism/capitalism m. Faction materially m led by b Hatred (dos sa) terrorism/ fundamentalism f m.
The world of f economics is s the former, faction f led by greed that is based b on the idea a of subjugati ion of environ nmental nature e. Thats why y Al Gore con ndemned western n philosophy of the idea of looking th he nature as apathy or riv val. For, econom mics is moved by (1) the ide ea subjugation n of nature and d (2) happines ss out of wealth of material. Even E in the present p day, much m effort is i made to cr reate the business values for su ustainable econ nomy such as Global G Ethics (GE), Good Corporate C Govern nance (GCG), Corporate Social Responsib bility (CSR), and Company y Values (CV).13 Consequently y, the idea of Buddhist B Econ nomics and Po olitics commen nce with D a. Economics and Politics ar re preceded by y the goal whic ch is call that of Dhammacakka anatt. The meaning of Cakka liter rally is for whe eel, superficial lly nothing only a kind of thing gs pushing the e body of cha art or chariot move forward d but in the re ealty the success of war is base ed on this whe eel, wherever this t wheel goe es it move with h powers and bloodshed.
13
Integrit ty, compassion, in nnovation, synerg gy, commitment, and teamwork-ba ased cooperation
113
Formerly, war was a tool for power, thats why warrior had to fight for the power, after grapping it, that time to revenge or do something worse or better. It is a kind of politics based on wars and conflict. In the economic aspect, the wheel moves for the commerce and business. Wherever it moves to, that would be the market town (nigama). How much does the world integrate the idea of Buddhist economics into the mainstream system? The Cakkavatti Sihananda Sutta, the Buddha said that immorality and crime, such as theft, falsehood, violence, hatred, cruelty, could arise from poverty. Kings and governments may try to suppress crime through punishment, but it is futile to eradicate crimes through force. In the Kuadanta Sutta, the Buddha suggested economic development instead of force to reduce crime. The government should use the country's resources to improve the economic conditions of the country. It could embark on agricultural and rural development, provide financial support to entrepreneurs and business, and provide adequate wages for workers to maintain a decent life with human dignity. In Buddhist approach, economic and politic securities are not an end within themselves. They continue with Dhamma14 (righteousness). Without Dhamma in economics or politics, individual and social life is not in progress spiritually and materially. Because of its material progress, it is not sustainable. Even the idea of economics begins with the wealth and Corporate Social Responsibility by new values and the idea of universal responsibility put forward by Dalai Lama arise. Even though new to business, human learn from the mistake and divisive fraction. So a researcher would propose the idea of how it is, how one should do it. Economic crisis is caused by the greed (Lobha) and Santuttha (never content with things one has) should be replaced and added by dhammacakka (the middle way or right livelihood). Cakka should be moved for the economics and politics, likewise, Dhamma is moved in motion for the happiness and benefits. In Thailand there are three sectors of society concerning economy:- agrarian, service sector and industrial sector and Information Technology (IT): Statistics in 2001 (2544) says the 33 Thai labor forces. It is found that in the year 2539 before economic crises agrarian sector consists of 33 millions, 54 % of all labor forces. The second is service sector 31 even government authorities and final is industrial sector 15 % of all. Thai Economy cannot ignore every sector. Cakka for economy in Thailand is moved in motion by agrarian, IT service and industrial sectors. Thai society was drastically inflicted by the economic crises (Tomyomkung) 2440. But Thai was able to survive because Thai people were supported by agrarian sector called (safety net) rather than industrial sector and IT service (IT). In present,
14 Dhamma is unique, for the translation or interpretation is difficult to do into another language, so it is often left untranslated. That causes dhammacakkrapavattanasutta (discourse on rolling the Dhamma in motions. Dhamma is not motionless or static. But it should be rolled for the happiness and benefit of human and gods.
114

apparently, Thailand is mixed society. People runs business, Cakka has exerted an important role in the every sector of economic activities. Lastly, it seems to me that only Cakka helps improve the dimension of the economics and good physical cost of living, that is to say, plenty of food productions but more serious internal diseases (side effect), nice clothes but not for covering, good houses but not safe home, and medicines but less healthiness. On the other hand in spiritual dimension, it lacks its continuation for further spirituality or moral uplift, spiritual cost of living conducted by the middle way contained in Dhammacakka proposed and shown by Buddha.
Conclusion: As cakka has been discussed, cakka contributions made to civilization has occurred through the human history. Cakka for the economics is moved by physical basic needs (food, clothes, shelter, and medications) the basic for life. Cakka for the politics is moved by social needs for the security, justice, stability and solidarity of society which is socially basic needs for life. But dhammacakka is moved and rolled not only for mental and spiritual needs but also for sustainable physical and social needs. However, the Cakka is moved by Dhamma for the mentally and spiritually basic needs for life such as peace, happiness, lack of dukkha which is overlooked by the two former cakkas. If human would like to survive, not only to conquer nature based on greed and hatred, or good economics based on lust (raga) or greed (lobha) but continues with the idea of looking every mankind and everything as brothers & sisters, never separate nature, society and economics for one own benefit but integrated into one with Dhamma for development. It is Dhammacakka and Cakka for economics, politics, environment that should go hand by hand for helping resolve the global crises. Cakka for economics should not be well and sustainable enough without dhammacakka. The middle way economics is that it is right livelihood that helps to refrain, abstain from and avoid doing harm to others, taking what is not given, taking sexual misconduct, telling a lie, and taking intoxicants as well as developing the loving kindness and compassion, paying respect to others rights, honoring counterpart, possessing dignity and honor possessing awareness. It is Dhammacakka that puts forth the idea of stable and sustainable economy. Good Economics cannot be stable and sustainable without supporting and promoting a quality of life. I would like to end with this statement, borrowed from the teachings of the Dalai Lama, we have - it has been said:
115
More food but more famine More clothes but less warmth More tremendous houses but less home (smaller family) More conveniences but less time More products (quantity) but less quality More distribution but less contribution More GDP but less GDH More material development but less spiritual happiness...
116

Bibliography An Analytical Study of The Concept of Dhamma as Natural Law in Theravada Buddhism, Somphong Santacitto, Ven. P.M., MCU, 2548. A.G.H. Bowker, John, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, New York, Oxford University Press, 1997, APA Style: (2009). Encyclopedia Britannica. Ultimate Reference Suite. Buddhism & Ethics Symposium Volume, Academic Papers MCU. 2008/2551. Buddhist Economics, (P.A. Payutto) http//:www.wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/disc http://www.budsir.org/Part2_2.htm Microsoft Encarta 2006 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005. MLA Style: Encyclopedia Britannica. Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: 2009. Yashpal, Dr., A Cultural Study of Early Pali Tipitakas (2 Volumes) Vol.2, Delhi: Kalinga Publications 1999. The Document of International Research Seminar Buddhism: Truthful Knowledge and Quality of Life, Buddhist Research Institute, MCU. 2009. The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, New York, Oxford University Press, 1997 Thai
(..) , : 2550 , . 2551
117
The Current Economic Crisis: Diagnosis and Possible Solutions according to Buddhism
Bhikkhu Nandisena Abbot of the Dhamma Vihara, Mexico.
Diagnosis: At the beginning of the twentieth century Lionel Robbins, a British economist, put forth a definition of Economics that would endure far and wide: Economics is a science which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses.1 Another way to phrase this definition is in the following way: Human needs are unlimited while the resources to satisfy those needs are limited. Perhaps the reason why this definition has endured so long and modern economics is based on it is due to its empiricism, its ability to accurately describe human nature in front of resources that are limited and have alternative uses. A student of Buddhism would not fail to recognize that the first part of this definition, that human needs are unlimited, closely resembles what the Buddha says about craving. The Buddha says that craving is insatiable.2 And when the Buddha pinpoints craving or desire as the Second Noble Truth, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, one can see, without much of a stretch of imagination, the suffering caused by those human needs always seeking satisfaction in a world with scarce resources. It seems that the remarkable convergence between what the Buddha said and modern economics is due to the empiric approach; in the case of modern economics because of the scientific method, while in the case of the Buddha because of analyzing reality as it is.3
This and other interesting explanations regarding the nature of economic science can be found in his book An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science. 2 There is no river like desire (natthi tahsam nadDhammapada 251). Not even by a shower of gold coins is possible to satiate the sense desires (na kahpaavassena, titti kmesu vijjati Dhammapada 186). 3 Yathbhta.
118

Now, when the Buddha sees the suffering caused by craving always looking for ways to be satisfied, economics sees this too as unlimited human needs versus limited resources. But while the Buddha occupies Himself in finding a way out of this suffering, economics occupies itself in how to satisfy this craving, or using its own terminology: how to allocate the limited resources to satisfy the unlimited human needs. One can see that the convergence between Buddhism and modern economics in diagnosing our human condition just ends there. Then, Buddhism goes one way, to offer an individual solution to the problem by eliminating craving, and economics branches off to find ways to distribute the limited resources. And how to distribute the limited resources to satisfy the unlimited human needs is the domain of different economic systems. The prevalent economic system nowadays is capitalism that allocates resources through the market, which operates through the intervention of the forces of supply and demand. The aforementioned branching off of economics seems to be a common feature of modern science, that in its endeavor to understand reality it needs to limit its focus in order to go deeper into one thing at the expense of ignoring its relations with other things. In this case, modern economics seems to place human needs, demand, and resources, supply, in two separate, independent categories, and mainly focus in the way to satisfy human needs. Buddhism, on the other hand, seems to understand that this is basically a relation between a subject and an object, a conditioned, an interdependent relation. Applying what has been said to the current economic crisis, there seems to be two factors. The first one is that it is related to uncontrolled, unregulated craving. The second has to do with the failure of most economists and experts to predict it, and, therefore, to have those incumbent public actors do something about it in a timely manner. The first factor points to the blind, egotistic desire which sees only for itself without regard to others and the effects to the environment, to the ever unsatisfied desire seeking gratification in new objects, and by extension to the unregulated caterers and creators of new needs. The second factor leads one to believe that there are flaws in the current economic models and theories. One would expect prominent economists and financial experts such as the US Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, among others, who have unhindered access to the markets information and economic variables, to have done much better in their ability to predict and act before this crisis came to be. Unfortunately for the world the truth is otherwise. This failure of the brightest minds to foresee and forewarn the rest of us of the impending economic and financial crises is enough for some to lose faith in those experts and leaders who have an excessive influence in the material destinies of
119
others. However, this failure is pointing to something deeper, as it was said, to the inability of modern science to see the interdependent relation between the parts which it seems so adept to comprehend at the expense of the whole. These two factors that appear to be at the root of the current economic crisis, according to Buddhism are nothing else but modes of the mental factors of craving and ignorance.
Solutions: Buddhism not only offers an accurate diagnosis but, with its Noble Eightfold Path, which goal is to reduce and eventually eradicate all craving, and in this way eliminate the problem of scarcity and dissatisfaction4, it also offers a solution to the problem from the individual standpoint. But is this solution from the individual standpoint relevant to an ever interdependent, globalized world? At first sight the answer is no. Although Buddhism seems to offer an individual solution to the problem, the fact remains that only the few seem to be aware of it, needless to say, those who know it and practice towards this end. Also some could argue that Buddhism has been around for a long time but its teachings have not had a significant influence in reducing greed and making the world a better, more peaceful, and a more equal place to live. Is this a deficiency of the teachings or of something else? Let us face it, just like when one is told by the doctor that the disease is such and such but it is terminal, incurable, an accurate diagnosis, as the one that Buddhism seems to offer to the current economic crisis, is nothing without a practical solution, a global solution that goes beyond the individual realm. Can such a solution be found in the Buddhas teachings? Or should His teachings be applied only to the psychological and spiritual realms where its affectivity has already been proved? The fact that almost nobody has been able to foresee this economic crisis adds a worrying dimension to it. Now we are only left with one option: finding a remedy. And the short and medium term remedies, as they are being applied, are mainly in the domain of fiscal and monetary policy. I do not see, and I hope somebody can prove me wrong, any effective global solution coming from Buddhism to the current economic and financial crises in the short or medium term. Of course, this does not mean that we should not devote our energies and resources either individually or institutionally to help others in need. This may take different forms and should be done without delay. But even in this area of compassionate help, Buddhism seems ill-prepared to serve those in dire need situations.
4
Contentment is the greatest gain (santuhiparama dhanaDhammapada 204).

120

What I see is a lesson and an opportunity for Buddhism to earnestly prepare itself and be better able to serve this globalized world when other situations like this may arise. What is the lesson? The lesson is that greed, a state of mind, if left uncontrolled and unregulated, has the potentiality to destroy the world. The danger is in the mind5 long before we could see the harmful results of the actions of the people. The institutions that we humans form, from the family to the enterprise to the government, are the reflection of the minds of those who form them. Although we may put the blame of this crisis in the failure of institutions such as the banking system, the truth is more complex because of the interdependence between the mind and the actions of the different social and economic actors. That is why it is so difficult to pinpoint where the problem is when we only look at concepts such as a lender and a borrower, a consumer and a producer, a teacher and a student. The real problem is never in the concept but in the ultimate realities of the mind. But what happens when we blame greed instead of the actors? There is nondelusion. And when there is non-delusion we could start to see the interdependence of things. Otherwise if we keep focusing in concepts we will continue missing understanding the true cause of the problems that plague mankind. And what is the opportunity? It is the opportunity for Buddhism to embrace the whole world with the wisdom of its teachings and its compassion. Only in this way, when Buddhism could embrace the whole world with its wisdom and compassion, we could start to see the release of the grip of greed from the mind of beings. Although Buddhism has gradually spread around the world and now increasingly is found almost everywhere, it has mostly remained culturally linked to its countries of origin. This inward-looking-and-then-outward-spreading model seems narrow when we take into account the universality of the Buddhas teaching. We urgently need to take the universality of the Buddhas teachings to this globalized world. And this universality is nowhere better embodied than in the first component of the Eightfold Noble Path: Right View.6 This is so because Right View, which involves individual responsibility, is the firm foundation of the set of norms of universal ethics by which human beings would cease to harm each other and relate one another with respect, generosity, and loving-kindness. This is much needed so global greed could start to come down to normal levels.
The world is led by the mind, by the mind it is dragged around (cittena nyati loko, cittena parikassatiS. i 36). 6 Samm-dihi.
121
A quick survey of the world we now live shows that Right View is scarce. Even among Buddhists, if we ask, we may find that many do not know what Right View is. Actually, there is an inverse relation between Right View and greed and the other unwholesome mental states. The Buddha says that just as the aurora is the forerunner and first sign of the rising of the sun, so is Right View the forerunner and first sign of wholesome states.7 It is through the teaching of Right View that there is this opportunity. And to take advantage of this opportunity a concerted effort is needed. It is through education that this is possible. We Buddhists need to invest in the right kind of education so the true message of the Buddha is brought to every human being who wants to listen. When we study the history of Buddhism we learn that for the first two hundred years or so after the death of the Buddha, Buddhism almost remained confined to the places where it was found when the Buddha was alive. Then it was during the time of King Asoka when Buddhism started spreading outside the borders of his vast empire and started reaching other regions and cultures. As King Asoka was instrumental to the spreading of Buddhism at that time, so, I believe, it is education nowadays. This opportunity resides in education. If Buddhism is to become a relevant force in improving the material well being of the world, if Buddhism is to become a significant force in making a more equal, a more humane world, if Buddhism is to be prepared to meet new challenges and crises with solutions, Buddhism will need to invest in the right kind of education. The current financial, economic and environmental crises are more than that. They are also religious crises insofar religions, Buddhism included, have not been able to prevent them from happening. Those religious teachings that were supposed to prevail in the minds of beings and made them less greedy, less violent, etcetera seem to have failed. And now we are just left with this lesson and this opportunity. We should thoroughly learn this lesson once and for all, and take this opportunity to bring the Buddhas teachings through the proper kind of education to the whole world. This education should focus in the need to bring Right View and the other universal teachings of the Buddha, such as the ten conditions of rulers and institutions8, to the
Sriyassa bhikkhave udayato eta pubbagama eta pubbanimitta, yad ida aruugga. Evam eva kho bhikkhave kusalna dhammna eta pubbagama eta pubbanimitta, yad ida sammdihi. See Pubbagama Sutta (A. iii 449). 8 These dasa rjadhamma are (1) charity (dna), (2) virtue (sla), (3) altruism (pariccga), (4) honesty (jjava), (5) gentleness (maddava), (6) self-control (tapa), (7) non-anger (akkodha), (8) non122

world. Through this kind of education Buddhism should be able to bring a different set of conditions to the global mind of mankind and usher a new civilization where greed is gradually replaced by generosity, hatred and violence by loving-kindness and compassion, and blind-faith, intolerance and fanaticism replaced by wisdom.
violence (avihisa), (9) patience (khanti) and (10) uprightness (avirodhana). See Jtaka-Ahakath iii 300.
123
A Buddhist Economic Perspective of the Present-Day Global Economic Downturn Ven. Dr. Thch Tm c Vice Rector, Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute Vietnam Buddhist University
The present-day global economic downturn is an indispensable result from pragmatism: over-consumerism manifests from selfish greed; and suffering is here, as companion to joblessness, poverty, and discontent. Luckily, humanity still has ways to escape from it. The Buddha declared that for 45 years of his teachings he simply taught two things: suffering and cessation of it; and, craving and attachments to worldly pleasures of all kinds (tah) is the cause of suffering, he added. He did suggest a number of methods for solving the problems of human beings, of which the principle of Dependent Origination (prattyasamutpda) is basic. According to this principle, all phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. It covers the meanings: this exists, that exist; this arises, that arises; this does not exist, that does not exist; and, this ceases, that ceases. It is also from this principle that many Buddhist concepts, practices or solutions arise. Economic issues always go along with the social ones, or vice versa. Therefore, to achieve a stable economic development one must take into account the issues of social justice and social responsibility or morality in Buddhism. In matters related to what we now refer to as the economy, the Buddha offered a number of ideas which may be particularly helpful in guiding humanity towards the comprehensive solution of our present day problems. The earliest definitions of political economy of the West were simple, elegant statements defining it as the study of wealth. The first scientific approach to the subject was inaugurated by Aristotle, whose influence is still recognized today by the Austrian School. Adam Smith, author of the seminal work The Wealth of Nations and regarded by some as the father of economics, defines economics simply as The science of wealth or The Science relating to the laws of production, distribution and exchange. According to the Dictionary of Websters New World, economy is the management of the income, expenditures, etc. of a household, business, community, or government; careful management of wealth, resources, etc; avoidance of waste by careful planning and use; a system of producing, distribution, and consuming wealth. In general, the definitions of economy mean how to be able to
124

sell the goods (in the side of the producer or seller) or to be able to satisfy the needs (in the side of the buyer); and the economist does not think at all the moral consequences of the economy activities or the stage after the satisfaction of the needs. For example, the producer or seller of wine simply thinks how to be able to sell the wine as much as possible and yet he does not count the consequences of consumption leading to traffic accidents or family violence. Nowadays, Buddhism with meditation and techniques of insights into the human condition are well known in the West. Simultaneously, an image of Buddhism with austerity or escape from worldly concerns into a private, hermetic realm of bliss is still quite popular among people. In fact, the Buddhas teachings cover every aspect of suffering life and guide us how to conduct and attain the harmony and happiness in a world full of insecurity. The sole aim of Buddhism is to benefit the emotional and spiritual welfare of all sentient beings, to decrease suffering and to bring a sense of inner harmony. However, simply reading and reciting the Dharma is not enough. Only through the practice of meditation and mindfulness of thought, action and speech can we truly achieve this sense of internal and external harmony. The Buddha expounded that the world is insufficient, thirsty and enslaved to greed (tah). He retailed a story of a rich king ruling a powerful kingdom, he was nearly eighty years old; however, when hearing any nation having a number of gold, livestock, pretty women, he got excited and personally sent a punitive expedition against it.1 Greed of human beings is unlimited. And, it is the cause of social insecurity on many realms inclusive of economy. As for todays economy, human beings have attained marvelous achievements with an ever-increasing number of applications of science and technology constantly being created to meet humanitys needs. However, these achievements are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can be very helpful but unfortunately, they can also be detrimental. Thus, we must guard against the unjust, immoral, irresponsible and selfish use of the new applications. The world now faces severe problems such as terrorism, fuel shortages, an ever-increasing gulf between the rich and the poor, pollution, AIDS, immorality and the global economic downturn. The culprit of these severe results is none other than tah of humanity. Buddhism also has a kind of want (chanda) different from tah. Tah is to satisfy oneself, causing the inner unstableness and social insecurity; meanwhile, chanda is altruistic, bringing benefits to oneself and to others while contributing to the security of the community. This brings harmony to the individual, society and environment.
Trung B Kinh (Majjhima Nikya), II, trans.Thch Minh Chu, Vn Hnh University, 1974, pp. 72 73A
125
What the world needs so far is a progressive revolution of values. Our efforts must aim at building a new global environment which values harmony with nature and the protection of the worlds unique ecosystems. The Buddha was concerned with the environment, instructing the monks not to harm the seeds and various kinds of vegetation and not to accept the seeds and fresh meat.2 We should also seek to transform the world from mono-polar to multi-polar, from monopoly and appropriation to an inclusive structure of helping, sharing and cooperating. Only through a transformation of mind can this purpose come to fruition. Buddhism can serve as the means by which we can bring about this transformation of mind. Buddhism is not only concerned with the ideals of morality and profound philosophy. It also must address practical issues of suffering such as the socio-economical problems of human beings. As the following story illustrates, Buddhism and mindfulness are not only appropriate for the intellectual and religious order but also for the general public. One man sought out the Buddha in order to learn the Dharma. The Buddha gave him a verse. However, try as he might, the man could not learn it by heart. Then, after discovering that the man was a blacksmith, the Buddha instructed him in the method of counting his breath in and out with the tune like his job. Not so long after that this blacksmith attained enlightenment. And, the Buddha did mention every trouble aspect of life including that of economy. The Buddha realized that it is hard to lead a pure life under poor conditions. For householders in this world, poverty is suffering.3 Woeful in the world is poverty and debt.4 Poverty and want, like tah, contribute to crime and social discontent.5 Accordingly, from the point of view of the government, it ought to see the needs of those who are in want and to strive to repel poverty from the country. At the very least, honest work should be available to all people, trade and commerce should be encouraged, capital should be organized and industries monitored to guard against dishonest or exploitive practices. By this criterion, the absence of poverty is a better kind of governments success than the presence of millionaires. Furthermore, the Buddha had a number of practical teachings, contributing to the stable economic development. One time, a Brahmin named Ujjaya went to visit the Buddha to ask his advice on how to gain prosperity through right livelihood. The Buddha answered by explaining the conditions that lead to happiness in the present and in the future:
2 3
Trung B Kinh (Majjhima Nikya), I, trans. Thch Minh Chu, Vn Hnh University, 1973, p. 268 Aguttara Nikya, III, 350. 4 Ibid., 352. 5 Dgha Nikya, III, 65, 70.
126

Brahmin, these four conditions lead to happiness and benefit in the present. They are, industriousness, watchfulness, good company and balanced livelihood. And what is the endowment of industriousness (uhna-sampad)? A son of good family supports himself through diligent effort. Be it through farming, commerce, raising livestock, a military career, or the arts, he is diligent, he applies himself, and he is skilled. He is not lazy in his work, but clever, interested. He knows how to manage his work, he is able and responsible: this is called endowment of industriousness. And what is the endowment of watchfulness (rakkhana-sampad)? A son of good family has wealth, the fruit of his own sweat and labor, rightly obtained by him. He applies himself to protecting that wealth, thinking, How can I prevent this wealth from being confiscated by the King, stolen by thieves, burnt from fire, swept away from floods or appropriated by un-favored relatives? This is called the endowment of watchfulness. And what is good company (kalya-mitta)? Herein, a son of good family, residing in a town or village, be friends, discourse on, and seek advice from, those householders, sons of householders, young people who are mature and older people who are venerable, who are possessed of faith, morality, generosity, and wisdom. He studies and emulates the faith of those with faith; he studies and emulates the morality of those with morality; he studies and emulates the generosity of those who are generous; he studies and emulates the wisdom of those who are wise. This is to have good company. And what is balanced livelihood (samm-jva)? A son of good family supports himself in moderation, neither extravagantly nor stingingly. He knows the causes of increase and decrease of wealth; he knows which undertakings will yield an income higher than the expenditure rather than the expenditure exceeding the income. Like a person weighing things on a scale, he knows the balance either way If this young man had only a small income but lived extravagantly, it could be said of him that he consumed his wealth as if it were peanuts. If he had a large income but used it stingingly, it could be said of him that he will die like a pauper. But because he supports himself in moderation, it is said that he has balanced livelihood. Brahmin, the wealth rightly gained in this way has four pathways of decline. They are to be given to debauchery, drink, gambling, and association with evil friends. It is like a large reservoir with four channels going into it and four channels going out opened up, and the rain does not fall in due season, that large reservoir can be expected only to decrease, not to increase
127
Brahmin, wealth so gained rightly has four pathways of prosperity. They are to refrain from debauchery, drink and gambling, and to associate with good friends, to be drawn to good people. It is like a large reservoir with four channels leading into it and four channels leading out. If the channels leading into it are opend up, and the channels leading out are closed off, and rain falls in due season, it can be expected that for this reservoir there will be only increase, not decrease Brahmin, these four conditions are for the happiness and benefit of a young man in the present moment.6 The Buddha then kept on describing four conditions, which lead to happiness and benefits in the future; in short, they are to possess the spiritual qualities of faith, morality, generosity and wisdom. In the following passage, the Buddha explains to Anthapiika, a millionaire, some of the benefits that can arise from wealth: Herein, householder, there are five uses to which wealth can be put. They are: With the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple supports himself comfortably, sufficiently, he applies himself to seeing to his own happiness in rightful ways. He supports his father and mother wife and children, servants and workers comfortably, to a sufficiency, applying himself to their needs and their happiness as his proper. This is the first benefit to be obtained from wealth. Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple supports his friends and associates comfortably, to a sufficiency, taking an interest in their happiness as his proper. This is the second benfit to be derived from wealth. Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple protects his wealth from the dangers of confiscation by kings, theft, fire, flood, and appropriation by un-favored relatives. He keeps to his own security. This is the third benefit to be derived from wealth. Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple makes the five kinds
6
Aguttara Nikya, IV, p. 241.

128

of sacrifice. They are: to relatives (supporting relatives); to visitors (receiving guests); to ancestors (offerings made in the name of ancestors); to the king (for taxes and public works); and to the gods (that is, he supports religion). This is another benefit to be derived from wealth. Moreover, with the wealth that has been obtained by his own diligent labor, acquired through the strength of his own arms and the sweat of his own brow, rightly acquired, rightly gained, the noble disciple makes offerings which are of the highest merit, which are conducive to mental well-being, happiness and heaven, to religious mendicants, those who live devoted to heedfulness, are established in patience and gentleness, are trained, calmed, and cooled of defilements. This is the fifth benefit to be obtained from wealth.7 Concerning economy, the Buddha also emphasizes the expansion of business. Wealth should be divided into fourfold: 1) One part to be used for conduct of daily life and fulfilling obligations, 2-3) Two parts to be invested in expanding business enterprises, and 4) One part to be put aside for a rainy day.8 However, he forbids doing any occupations harmful to human-beings, animals, health and human dignity, leading to social confusion; they are: trade in weapons; trade in human beings; trade in flesh (animals for meat); trade in spirits (and drugs); and trade in poison.9 However, in comparison with two kinds of happiness, material and spiritual, the Buddha emphasizes the latter is superior to the former. Once, giving teaching to Anthapiika, the Buddha described four kinds of happiness for a householder, i.e., happiness of ownership (attha-sukha), happiness of enjoyment (bhoga-sukha), happiness of freedom from debt (anaa-sukha), and happiness of blamelessness (avajja-sukha). And the first three kinds of happiness are not worth a sixteenth part of the happiness that arises from blameless behavior.10 He also said, Wealth destroys the foolish, but not those who search for the Goal.11 The searcher for the Goal, according to Buddhism, is the person who keeps away from tah. True happiness or the Goal is only attained by meditation, the way to disperse all clouds of delirius hallucinations. One time, after debating with the followers of a different sect, the Buddha asked them whether they believed that he or King Bimbisara lived a happier life. Those hermits replied that the Buddha lived happier than the king, because the king could not sit in meditation for one week, for
7 8
Kinh b tng chi (Aguttara Nikya), II, trans. Thch Minh Chu, H Ch Minh, 1988, pp. 49-51. Dgha Nikya, III, 188. 9 Aguttara Nikya, III, p.207. 10 Aguttara Nikya, II, p. 69. 11 Dhammapda, 355.
129
six days, for five days or even for one day. The Buddha, however, could sit in meditation for one day or even one week.12 To any solutions for the present-day global economic downturn, we should keep in mind the Buddhas message that economic issues must be approached with morality, and the social welfare of all sentient beings must remain the prime focus. In another words, the economy must retain a humanitarian focus. With the contribution of Buddhism, economic growth is comprehensive and can truly benefit us all.
Trung B Kinh (Majjhima Nikya), I, trans. Thch Minh Chu, Vn Hnh University, 1973, pp. 94B 94C
130
12
Buddhist Views on Economic Issues
Manik Ratna Shakya Central Department of Buddhist Studies, Kritipur, Nepal
Introduction After getting enlightenment, Skyamuni Buddha preached the Dhamma for 45 years. In the course of Dhamma preaching, Buddha had delivered several spiritual discourses on the path of relieving the miseries of the living beings. But it does not mean that his course of preaching dealt with spiritual subjects only. Besides spiritual practice Buddha had also delivered several other discourses about social, political, psychological, economical and other themes. Those discourses concentrated different aspect of knowledge are depicted in the Tipitaka. In the first turning the wheel of law, Buddha had stressed on right livelihood. Likewise he had given a lot of messages related to economic through different Suttas. The Magala Sutta auspices Sutta) of Khuddaka Nikya has emphasized the need of different skills of earning and techniques to increase the earning by proper investment. The Kutadanta and Chakravarti Sutta of Dgha Nikya throw light on the cause of poverty and a way to its eradication. The Parbhava Sutta, Vasala Sutta discuss about the laws related with business. Additionally, in Jtakas there are also several stories of economic issues. Furthermore, some of the Suttas concepts represent excellent economic strategy, economic law and business skill. In this way, there are plenty of Buddhist economic issues in the Tipitaka and it is not possible to examine all of them in detail but here only a few useful issues have been analyzed.
Fundamental needs for earning: Every being need food for performing physical and mental activities. The Buddha has encouraged people to work for earning his food and serve family. Earning is essential for food and smooth running of life. Buddha had also given importance to it. It is described in Smanera paho. Buddha had expressed thereSabbe Satta hra pathittika1- All the sentient beings are dependent on food. It is, therefore, well understood that the lack of food makes the being unable to do anything. If people are hungry they cannot perform physical as well as mental activities properly. In addition, in this context, Buddha has given more priority to
1
Bhikkhu Sudarshan, Mahparitrana,( Kathmandu; Sanunani Kansakar, 2005), p. 1.

131
the food in Dhammapada. He said that Jighacch param rog2- Hunger is the greatest disease. From this incidence it becomes clear that the Buddha had given prime importance to food for physical, mental and the spiritual development of human beings. Earning is the essential part to get food and other means to survive when people have no money they can not buy food then they will be weak to perform any kind of activity then poverty will start gradually. In fact, Buddha has given an inspiration to work hard to all. His advice was to strive hard to overcome poverty. In order to this, one has to abandon laziness. Laziness is one of the biggest obstacles that stand in the way of poverty alleviation. In the Dhammapada, Buddha had strongly said: Aladdh yobbane dhanam Jiakoc va jhyanti, Khiamacche va pallale 3 - Those people who dont acquire wealth in youth, their life will be as the old herons (Kronch) in front of the dried pond. This verse focuses against laziness and emphasize on the point to make timely earnings because the young age is the excellent time for earning activities. This stanza was pronounced in Vrasi and comes across in the context of a millionaires son, who in his young days made no effort for the earning. He was in contact with bad company spending his life luxuriously at his fathers property. For earning, people should have different types of knowledge as well as should possess some skills. In order to make life happy and auspice the person should specialize in skills and be engaged in some work. Skillful persons will easily success to involve in any types of economic activities. In Magala Sutta, Buddha has emphasized to the skill for earning. He expressed that: Bhu saccaca sippaca 4 The Pli verse describes that different types of skills are necessary for earning. Managing is one of the crucial segments for receiving the work doing effectively. Only physical incentives may be insufficient for them to work successfully and effectively. The pleasant speech and kind behavior also is vital to obtain work appropriately. In Magala Sutta, Buddha expressed Subhsit ca y
2 3
Dhammapada Pli, (Igatpuri, Vipassana Research Institute), 1998, p. 39. Ibid, p. 32 4 Khuddakaptha Pli,( Igatpur; Vipassana Research Institute), 1998, p. 4.
132

vc yetam magala muttamam5 - speaking with the pleasant speech is the extreme blessing. Pleasant speech towards the worker may be way to get victory in receiving the work done effortlessly. Harsh words affect the heart of everybody. Pleasant speech creates quiet environment and relation between employees and employer, manager and staff, owner and worker. The eagerness to work, working with responsibility and durable work from the labor can be achieved by the pleasant speech and kind behavior.
Governments policy for providing job: In this world, people want to fulfill respectively their desire, In order to achieve their desire they should earn money. So, people need job to earn money. For this purpose, the job opportunity is also equally important. Lack of job opportunity increases the unemployment problem involving the unemployed to evil works hampering both the society and the state as well. In order to overcome the evil deeds, sufficient job should be created by the government for people. According to Buddha, providing more job opportunities to the people is the fundamental duty of a kingdom to manage job opportunities for the pupils according to their ability. It makes people happy and brings peace in the society helping them practice economic activities with moral. The Kutadanta Sutta of Dgha Nikya explains how the misdistribution of nation wealth causes interruption of social life. This Sutta clearly explains how necessary it is for rulers to recognize real causes plaguing the country and to adopt appropriate steps to eradicate them. When the country of king Mahvijita was besotted and ravaged by the thieves- village and town have been destroyed and the country side was infected with brigands. There were economic crises in the country. The king was interested to offer a sacrifice to solve the problem. He asked Brahmins (Bodhisattva) to give suggestion to perform the auspicious Yaja (sacrifice worship) that would provide excellent result for him for a long time. Then Brahmia replied the king Mahvijita that the people of this country are facing so many troubles. They are being frightful and worried by the village dacoit, city dacoit, and path dacoit. If the tax were highly charged on those dreadful people, it would bring harmful impact. You might think of eradicating such dacoit by virtue of punishment and suppression. But they could not be eliminated by punishment and suppression only. They were not afraid of death. Neither punishment nor suppression will resolve the problems. In order to
5
Ibid.
133
conquer the problems the king should outline a compact constitution.6 Then the Brahmia suggested the following statements when the country was in economic turmoil at the time. 1. Loans should be provided to the farmers for investment in profitable opportunity and purchasing seed and fertilizers for farming. 2. The finance and matters must be distributed to those businessmen who are eagerly interested in the field of business. 3. Appropriate job should be given to those people who are heartily interested to do government service. Then those people, being involved in their occupations will not harm the country. It will increase the revenue for the nation with taxes.7 The King followed the Brahmins suggestion. These activities will definitely reduce the unemployment and potential problems of robbery and dacoit will be extinct. Peace and harmony will prevail in the country Economic condition will gradually stabilize and everyone will feel assured by future security. They will not have to fear for their lives and private property. It will make people happy and help them lead secure life. Similarly, Chakravarti Sutta of Dgha Nikya also has parallel messages concerning the arrangement of wealth to the people. In this Sutta Buddha had told that the lack of assets to execute business direct the people to criminal activities. 8 Chakravarti Vrata (Vows) that should be performed by a Chakravarti king is to distribute assets for the entrepreneurship. One of the bounding duties of a Chakravarti king is to provide economic stability. The assets given to entrepreneurs will encourage the production and generate income making the country prosperous. In this approach the Buddha has stressed the responsibility of State to give job opportunity for the people. The plenty job opportunities only can make the people occupied in business which will play a vital role on overcoming critical condition of economy of state.
6 7
Digghanikya,(part 1), (Igatpur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998), p.120-121. Ibid. 8 Dunda Bahadur Bajracharya, Digha Nikaya, (Lalitpur; Bir Purna Pustak Samgrahalaya, 1989), p.365.
134

Right livelihood as a key of economic sustainability: Right livelihood refers to restraining from fivefold wrong ways of life such as: the trading of weapons, living beings, poison, meats and intoxicants.9 It means refraining from earning livelihood by improper means. It is said that poverty is the cause of crime. If the economical condition is good, crime is lessened and there is peace and harmony in society. Buddha has explained the necessity of right livelihood in order to live happily and peacefully. In Dhammacakkapavattna Sutta,10 Buddha has described the right livelihood to five ascetics in the course of preaching the four noble truths. In the truths, the fourth one is the path leading to cessation from suffering which is the actual practice to be followed for making life free from suffering. The path shown for cessation of suffering by Buddha are called Eight fold noble path. This eightfold path is also known as the middle way between two extremes. They are the constant addiction to self-mortification and the constant attachment to sensual pleasures. Buddha had pronounced to avoid the two extremes. Furthermore, Buddha had identified that the social problems arising in the society and its increment day by day is due to the development of the wrong livelihood. The social problem is being increased due to the business of the weapons. Easy availability of the weapons makes more violence and murder in the society. If conflict is aroused between two persons due to certain reasons they aim to harm each other. The frequency of physically harming each other depends upon the availability of weapons. If there are no weapons in their hands they might just fight each other with hands. But if they hold the weapons they could kill each other. Similarly nations should also have to face the great problem of human destruction by easy availability of weapons, making human life uncertain. Likewise increase of weapons makes the countries engage in war. One of the causes of two world wars could be said the production competition of huge amount of weapons among the nations. In this means it can be said that weapons are only cause of destruction of people. It only makes the society fearful as well as it creates economic disaster in the world. So, the business of weapon must be stopped to develop economic sectors. In the name of Business of meat or flesh, people killed innocent animals. Killing to someone for earning is not a light action. It only shows the unkindness of the people. The increment of meat business proportionately increases the killing activities in one hand and in other hand the exce4ss consumption of meat has been proved the cause of different diseases in human being.
9
10
Thera piyadassi, The Buddhas Ancient Path(United Kingdom; rider and Company, 1964) p. 155. Narada, The Buddha and His Teaching,(Taiwan; The corporate body of the Buddha Education Foudation,1998)p.78-79.
135
The business of living beings also cannot be taken as the innocent activity because transaction of them generally is done for slaughtering. The transaction of animals also indicates the lack of love and compassion. Thus, it can be said that business of animal is against the human right and animal right. Trade of intoxicants has been an increasing problem in the present world. It is becoming a tool of injurious to the health and damaging prosperity as well as right of people. Nowadays different types of drugs and intoxicants have been developed. It makes the mind unconscious which breaks the further progress of any activities of life. It destroys society, nations and the world. The high death rate of young people is increasing due to its consumption. Different social evils also are emerging in the society by utilization of drugs. Thus, the trade of intoxicant should be rejected. In general people used the poisons for killing harmful insects. But it may also be a tool for suicide for handicapped people. So the business of poison may cause obliteration of human life. Such type of business hampers the welfare of society. Majority of people in the world faces different types of problems and they may think of suicide several times in their life. The easy accessibility of poison makes it easy for them to commit suicide. The poison could also be used for easily murdering others. Nowadays different types of slow poisons are being used to execute people. In this regard it can be believed that it is one of the wrong livelihoods. The five wrong livelihoods are also related with the five precepts which are the teachings of Buddha to human beings. Five precepts are the basic teachings which should be preserved by human beings in practicing the Buddhas teachings. The practice of five wrong livelihoods breaks the observing of five precepts. The Satthavaijja (Business of weapons), Mamsavaijja (Business of meat), Sattavaijja (Business of living beings) and Visavaijja (Business of poison) makes the breaking of first precept that is abstaining from killing.11 The Majjavaijja (Business of intoxicants) makes the people addicted to intoxicants which are opposite to the fifth precept of Paca Sila (five precepts) that is abstaining from intoxicants.
Role of people in economic development of country: The laymens responsibility is not that to finish only after generating the income from the business. After generating the income the further duties arise in expending it. The income in hand should be properly expended. Only by proper
11
Ibid,
136

expenses of income, it becomes important. The lack of proper utilization of the generated income would make the earning valueless. On the basis of the Buddhas teaching, the earned income should make use not only for self. In his teachings he suggested to make good use of income by distributing it to different group of people related society. The income is generated by the society and this should also be used for helping society. It should also benefit to others. According to him making proper use of earning can be obtained by the ways: 1. Using the income for self, family, employees, friends etc. 2. Using the income as reserve for known and unknown contingences. 12 3. Using the income for Panca Bali (five virtuous work) 3.1) 3.2) 3.3) 3.4) 3.5) Jti Bali- Offering to the relatives Atithi Bali- Offering to visitors Purbapret Bali- Offering in the name of dead relatives. Rj Bali- Offering to the king Dev Bali- Offering to the deities
The first two ways help social development. In addition, in Panca Bali, Buddha had expressed of Rj Bali and focused to pay Rj Bali by all. In modern context, It can be taken as Taxes. So, we can say that Buddha had focused on paying tax to the government. The major income of government is the taxes and when people dont pay them government will gradually become poor. It cannot move notable steps in economic development of the country and this impact will affect all the people in this country. Likewise, loan and debt are one of the huge issues through economic point of view in this present world. Most of the countries are engaging in loans which are not returned on time. Many banks are closed because of loan problem. At present situation it is one of the fresh causes of economic crises in the world. Buddha had encouraged to the lay people to return loan in time. Concerning the returning of the loan and debt, Buddha had obviously declared that the loan taken should be timely returned. The intension of not showing honestly in returning and delaying in returning is not fair deed. In Vasala Sutta, Buddha had stated:
Bhikkhu Amritananda, Buddhakalin Grihasthiharu, vol. 1( Kathmandu; Anandakuti Vidyapith, 1972),p.61-63.

137
12
Yo have iamdya cujjamno palyati Nahi te iamatthti tam Ja vasalo iti 13 -If a person were to take a loan and when a creditor asks him to pay it back, he avoids paying it back, such a person is a Vasala. The strategy of returning a loan in time promotes the goodwill of the association. It makes possible to get more loan easily in future. So, ultimately the timely return of loan benefits all. In the course of earning, the people usually may engage in bad activities because it may be easier for them to get earning through unwholesome activities than wholesome activities. People generally think that bad activities done in the name for earning income can be counter balanced through the wholesome activities as worshipping the god and performing Yaja. But Buddha did not accept such counter balancing of unwholesome activities by performing different types of worship. Leading a good life according to Buddha is to perform the wholesome activities and giving up the unwholesome activities in every aspect of life. Since the business and occupation are the basic activities that should be performed by each and every person to get food, shelter and clothes, the performance done in the name of business should not be unwholesome. Buddhas view on discipline to live good life can be seen in the following verse of Dhammapada. Sabba ppassa akaraam Kusalassa upasampad Sacitta pariyodapanam Yetam Buddhna ssanam14 -Not to do any evil to cultivate good, to purify ones mind,- there are the teachings of the Buddha. So in every pace of life of people should be conscious on the activities they are performing for earning purpose. In this regard the Buddha has given the teachings about the right earning.
Essential features for traders/merchants: Industrial development is one of the strong parts to build up economy of any country. Industrial calamity affects the world economy. So, the industrial
13 14
Suttanipta pli, (Igatpuri , Vipassana Research Institute), 1998, p. 104. Op.cit, f.n.2, p. 36.
138

discipline is also needed to maintain industries and for high productivity. High moral development on the labor force adds the high productivity. Similarly, the welfare program performed for them by providing medical facilities, education facilities for their children makes the worker attached to the work and so that he performs the work willingly. If proper facilities are not given to them they seek jobs outside the organization and if the good opportunity is found outside, they certainly would give up the job. The rate of job rotation is known as labor turn-over inside the organization and generates excessive cost for an organization. In Singlavda Sutta of Dgha Nikya, Buddha had described the six directions which should be venerated by the traders of owners15. Here the veneration of six directions is to fulfill the duties toward them. Among the six, one is Nadir (Downward) direction:- Worker. Buddha has taken the worker as one of the direction where the people used to stay. Likewise, Buddha has given higher importance to them as well as described the need of worshipping and veneration to the down direction by fulfilling the duties towards workers and staff. Only then traders can get work properly from them. The duties to be performed for them are as follows. 1. Works should be given according to their ability 2. Salary must be provided by which they can manage their family easily. 3. To provide health care incase of sickness. 4. To give delicious food 5. To give holidays at different occasion. If these duties are fulfilled by the employer, then employees also will be fulfilled their duties towards the employer which are as follows. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. They rise early in the morning for working. They go to sleep late in the night. They only take what is given to them. They perform their duty well. They advocate his good name and fame.
The fulfillment of duties by the owner towards the employee certainly would make the employees respective towards them. After fulfillment to employees, they definitely do effective works which will help play vital role on economical co-operation and improvement of quality of production of Industry.
15
Op.cit, fn 8, p.484.
139
Essential features can be analyzed from the Jtaka stories also. There are 547 Jtakas in Buddhist Pli literature16 which describe the performance of Bodhisattva and his fulfillment of ten perfections. The Jataka had given the different outlined knowledge of spiritual, social, political, economic and other information. The economic activities provide knowledge about the economic policy and techniques practiced by Bodhisattva in different lives. In the Vaupatha Jtaka, the message conveyed is that the leader of the caravan should possess decision making power. Such qualities will help the leader to perform the trading activities safely and successfully. Bodhisattva, described as a merchant in this Jtaka, saved the lives of 500 traders by fetching them water in the desert.17 Business approved with evil heart generally faces a defeat. Business men who are greedy usually fail to gain the desired profit and have to live unhappily. Seri Vija Jtaka gives an interesting story to throw light on it. 18 Investment is the base of any economic activities. One who is alert in investment should seek the opportunity for making profit, he can earn a huge amount of money from little sources. Opportunity must be identified properly and someone could become rich even with little investment. Cula Setthi Jtaka 19tells how a poor man earned money from a dead mouse and became millionaire. It displayed the investment and proper utilization20. Achievement in business depends upon the skill of the person chosen for the purpose otherwise one would have to bear a weighty loss. How an unskilled person can bring the business loss by his foolishness is narrated in Varuhidusaka Jtaka.21
E.B. Cowell, The Jataka, Vol.1, (Delhi; Motilal Banarasidas publication Pvt. Ltd. 1999), p. 9. Ibid, p. 12. 18 According to Seri Vaja Jtaka, potters went to a village to sell their clay pots. A family consisting of an old woman and the grand daughter wanted to exchange the pot with an old metal plate from the first trader who was greedy and wicked. They did not know that the metal plate was of gold, but the wicked trader knew the value of the plate. Because of his greediness he wanted it to exchange by less goods. So, he commented it as worthless plate and departed saying he would come later. Some time after came another potter who was gentle and kind. He told them that the plate was of gold and exchanged it with all the clay pots he was carrying and put all the money he had in their hands .Here the potter was greedy so he could not get opportunity of earning the profit. 19 Op.cit, fn 16, p. 14. 20 One day Cula Setthi was walking in the street . He saw a dead mouse on the street. He picked a mouse and sold it to the cat owner with a little money. He used the little money to make juice. He then fed it to the thirst grass cutter. He received good quality grass from them. Then he sold it to the owner of horse and got the large amount of money. In this way he used the money step by step in business then he became rich. 21 Op.cit, fn 16, p.120.
17
16
140

It emphasizes the necessity of appointing skilled people, and train them for getting more gain in the business.22 Mahvaija Jtaka23 discusses about consequences of surplus greediness in the course of commerce. By nature, the businessman wants to have maximum profit and always seeks the sources of gain to him. But if they become greedy they might have to face the suffering. 24
Conclusion: At current period, economic crises are arising all over the world. Through the study of Buddhas view on economic issues, it can be said that misutilization of national wealth, lack of pleasant speech, weak relation between employers and employees, lack of knowledge of right livelihood are the possible causes of the global economic crises. In addition lack of knowledge about proper investment, defeat role playing by trader, merchants and bankers, increasing number of unskilled persons as well as unethical business may be other causes. Under such circumstances if the Buddhas approach towards economic issues could be highlighted and Buddhas views were applied in modern principle business. We could have more advantage in the financial aspect, the human resource aspect and marketing welfare to the people simultaneously. It is sure that one should not develop / change in the economy while neglecting Buddhist ethics. Only through rising economically under an ethical code, can life be wealthy and becomes pleasant-sounding. It establishes conscious credit in the market guaranteeing quality and mutual benefit in the organization and procedure of enterprise.
A merchant of juice had an assistant who didnt know anything about liquor. The later was entrusted with the job of selling juice to people. Once he saw a person drinking juice with mixed salt in it. He then thought of mixing salt in juice to increase the quality of juice. So, he mixed salt and spoilt the whole juice. In this way due to the engagement of unskilled person a trader had bear heavy loss. 23 Op.cit, fn 16,vol.IV p. 221. 24 In Mahvanija Jataka ,once a group of businessmen with Sattha Bha (chief)were going for business purpose through a desert.. The day was too hot and they felt hungry and thirsty. They searched water everywhere. Finally they saw a tree wet at the bottom. They thought that there might be water inside the root of the tree, suddenly pure water dropped from it . They drank water and took bath. Further, they noticed that the tree was not an ordinary one. It possessed many privileges. So they also cut down the branch laying the different direction. Certainly, they got various items such as foods, jewels, gems, gold, copper and clothes. But they could not get satisfied with what they received. They thought to cut down the whole of the tree to have all jewels kept inside. At that time Sattha Bha, who was not greedy, requested them not to cut the root of the tree providing them different types of privileges. But they did not listen to his request and cut down the root of the tree. Suddenly, from there 25 wrestlers, 300 warriors with weapons and 6000 warriors equipped with swords came out .They killed all of them except for Sattha Baha.
22
141
Finally it can be observed that the teachings of the Buddha motivate any economic division ethically based. If these Buddhas discourse can be spread in the world these message will successfully play vital role to arrest economic crises and consequent unrest and further complications of the crises.
142

Bibliography Primary sources Dhammapada Pli, Igatapur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998. Dighanikaya (vol.1, 3), Igatapur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998. Jtaka ahakatha, Igatapur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998. Khuddakaptha Pli, Igatapur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998. Sanskrityayan, Rahul, Vinaya Pitaka , Taiwan; The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 2000. Suttanipt Pli, Igatapur; Vipassana Research Institute, 1998.
Secondary Sources Cowell,E.B, The Jtaka, Delhi; Motilal Banarasidas Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 1999. Jha, Hari Bansha, Buddhist Economics and the modern world, Kathmandu; Dharmakirti Bauddha Addhyayan Gosthi, 1979. Mahasthavir, Jnanapurnika, Jtakapli, Kathmandu; JnnaJyoti Kanskar, 2001. Manamdhar, Tri Ratna, A study on Buddhas approach to Business ( A thesis submitted to central department of Buddhist Studies) Nepal, 2006. Narada, The Buddha and His Teaching, Taiwan; The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 1998. Piyadassi, Thera, The Buddhas Ancient Path, United Kingdom; Rider and company, 1964. Reddy, P.N. Gulshan, Principles of Business Organization and Management, New Delhi; Eurasia Publishing House (P) Ltd. 1981.Schumacher, E.F., Small is Beautiful, New Delhi; RadhaKrishans, 1978. Vajracharya, Dundabahadur ( translator), Dighanikya , Lalitpur; Bir Purna Pustak Sangrahalaya, 2000.
143
Application of Fourfold Happiness in Buddhism to Economic Pursuits
Ven. Prof. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thero Head, Dept. of Religious Studies and Comparative Philosophy Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka.
Now we are living in an age that we should plan out our economic principles to suit for overcoming the issues at present and for making out a better future. Management of production and consumption are vital needs that we have to pay our attention most at present. In addition to bloody wars and conflicts environmental pollution, such as deforestation, discharge of disposal, emission of carbon dioxide and disappearing of non renewable natural recourses such as water, mineral, fuel are now the main themes of debates and discussions in various levels. Unless we find solution to them the future of the world would be miserable. Taking fuel as an example the consumption of fuel for production and transportation is one of the main reasons for environmental pollution. Geologists are of opinion that the natural resource of oil would end sooner or later. The main factor behind the increasing of inflation and economic drop in the world is the crisis of fuel. Fuel has become the determining factor of human life. Vast development of the world, thanks to scientific and technological inventions, for last seven centuries has made our life more easy and comfortable. If we would not find an alternative for fuel or find ethical solutions, many of the inventions of science and technology would become ruins of glory of the past, for the future generation. Scientists and technologists are now spare their energy to bring out solutions for fuel so that using of solar power and bio-gas came into being in some areas. This article is mainly aimed at looking into possible methods in reducing the threat of many areas related with economic issues through applying Buddhist guidelines. At this juncture it is very important to pay attention to scholars, scientists, technologists, researchers and particularly it is the duty of religionists to point out religious views and possible pragmatic religious solutions that can be applied at present for a better future. In the annals of human-beings through out the world there is no other organization than that of religion, which immensely contributed and influenced the mankind for making their life pattern for the happiness of oneself and for the others. Scriptural traditions pertaining to various religions contain invaluable thoughts and guidelines on this regard. They are not negligible at this scientific and technological era in the context of global village but more applicable today for overcoming numerous issues at present and possible in future. No space provides in this short article for bringing out the attention of all those scriptural traditions. The
144

main purpose of this article is to bring to light the Buddhist scriptural teachings (as the Dhamma of akalika- beyond lime limit) and how they were applied in the past and how they can apply in the present era globally for the happiness of all. The view of the Buddha on the nature of human being is 'Sukhakama dukkha patikkula' desirous of achieving happiness and avoiding suffering. It is the intrinsic characteristic or universal phenomenon of human being. The effort of the Buddha in his pursuit of truth was also aimed at how to achieve everlasting happiness through defeating suffering. In His discourse the Buddha revealed the nature of the world in the form of Four Noble Truth and pointed out the path to overcome suffering. Though we unknown the origin of human being, from his inception to the present day, his endeavor was rotated around these two interrelated goals. In other words human endeavor throughout history was rotating on two main questions, that is: how to achieve happiness, and how to avoid suffering? History of mankind and his endeavors provide evidences to the fact that he followed various means in achieving these goals. In the goal achievement some turned towards external forces others towards external-internal forces. Those who turned to external forces thought that external forces are more powerful than themselves and began to worship sun, moon, rain, wind and such other objects those were affected on them for bringing happiness and sorrow. At the primitive stage nature worship was very common in many parts of the world and it is considered as the origin of religion. And also it is factual evidence to the role religion played for bringing happiness to the human being and their faith and trust on belief at the very primitive age. Nature objects were affected their life to such a great extent that they deified them. Thus gradually gods, demons and other super natural forces came into being. The Vedic literature, the oldest religious literary records now remain in the world, provides ample evidences to the process of evolution of religion and religious concepts from simple stage of nature worship to the most developed stage of belief in monotheistic god. All the religions that are in the world came to exist as a solution for socio-economic problems. If my understanding is not wrong solution brought out by theistic religions are largely divine determined. Even though I should partially admit that Holy Bible and Al Koran contain invaluable teachings on economic stability, prosperity and social order and harmony that should be achieved by human effort. Those religious scriptures and related religious organizations highly dominated the economic and social conditions of the peoples for many centuries especially during the medieval period and dominating at present too to a large extent. Modern scientific era too starts with observations, experimentations on objects that people were used to have faith reverentially for many centuries. In this article I am not going to detail them out. But I should mention that science and technology too devoted to bring happiness and avoiding suffering relying on external
145
forces. Unlike religion science did not rely upon external supernatural forces but on tangible forces in the material world. They identified those natural forces and invented scientific and technological instruments and devices through making use of these external forces that are in the world. Thanks to the achievements of scientific and technological developments every aspects of life become more easy and comfortable not only for the people of those countries that discovered those inventions but others who make use of that knowledge in their daily life. Those new inventions made massive economic progress in the countries those who were responsible of producing various types of instruments and machineries to the world. Life style of the people have been changed everywhere in the world for last few centuries. Simplicity and contentment of life has been disappeared. Countries those were having prosperous economic condition largely depended on labor-based agriculture gradually came to be the countries that were supplying raw materials to industrial countries and vise versa became the consumers of the products of industrial countries. Thus the large sum of capital began to flow into industrial countries. The economic disparity thus produced made wide gap among the countries; namely first, second and third world (that is developed, developing and under developing). As mentioned above those new inventions have made our life easy mainly through materialistic prosperity. Proportionate to various advantageous and achievements brought about by those new inventions and discoveries many new problems have been arisen throughout the world. Increasing of physical and psychic health problems that were heard and unheard before, disappearing of non renewable natural resources, variety of pollutions, increasing of global warm are some of the issues. Most dangerously, missiles and other sophisticated weapons have been invented though the same knowledge of science and technology, have threatened the world to the extent of wiping out all the animate and inanimate objects from the earth. These are some of the issues that are been discussing today for bringing lasting solution. Science and technology should not be considered as the enemies of the world as they have tremendously contributed for the happiness and well being of the world. And also it could be use as a means of gaining happiness in the way that we use them. Science and technology does not have mind and senses but those who invent them have. The need of religion comes there. Either theistic or non-theistic, religion addresses to both external and internal forces. In other words, religion takes into consideration the importance of both material and spiritual development. According to Buddhism there is no possibility for having spiritual development without material development. Some wrongly interpret Buddhism as a religion which deals with supra mundane level of development only. Mundane development is a supportive factor for supra mundane spiritual development according to Buddhism. If my understanding is not wrong, there is no other religion in the world as Buddhism, which touches with
146

the importance of both mundane and supra-mundane development. But mundane development is not the end but just a supportive factor for supra-mundane achievements. It is true, that the end aim of Buddhism is Nibbana - it is the state of non-attachment, non-hatred and non-delusion. If anyone possible to live in the world and engage in worldly activities without attachment, hatred and delusion what an ideal state would be the world1? What is the harm for such an ideal person to live and act in the material world with detachment, compassionate and wise thoughts? Material development is one thing that Buddha expected. Because without having material support one cannot live a happy life and also cannot expects spiritual development form such a person. Now we are living in the materially developed world. So, this is the best time for one to practice Buddhism and apply Buddhist thoughts in economic, political and social activities. What we have to thinks and plan out now is how to make use of those new inventions for the benefit of mankind. In this regard religions have vital role to play. For nearly two and half millennium, Buddhism has been the religion of most Asian countries. Its teachings have been tremendously influenced for the life style of the people politically, economically and socially. Cultural pattern of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China, Korea and Japan formulated mainly according to the teachings of the Buddha. Though most of these Countries, except Japan are belong to category third world countries according to the way of census, which is based on per-capita income. But per-capita income is not a proper criterion for measuring living standard of the people. Most worthy criterion in this regard is to measure how much happy are the people of a particular country. At present context is concerned the identities of those Asian countries mostly disappeared since the lifestyles of the people are tremendously changed through the economic and political influences of European and Western countries in the process of colonization and commercialization. But history of those individual countries depicts that they possessed satisfactory economic standard as well as material prosperity. Massive religious and secular buildings as well as large reservoirs in Sri Lanka and such evidences of other countries are the testimony for assuming the past glory of the economic prosperity of those countries. Though they not possessed numerous equipments as today they led a very satisfactory life with minimum possessions what they had. Life style of the past and present should not be the same but we can apply some valuable norms that they had in the past to the present for having a satisfactory life. The everlasting happiness of Nibbana is the final goal of both householders and recluses. Recluses satisfy with minimum requirements2 for maintaining life while making endeavor to achieve spiritual development for getting rid of sansara whereas
1 2
A. III. P 338-339, A. I, Pp. 62, 64, 65, 69. A. II, P. 27.

147
householders making endeavor to achieve material prosperity3 for leading a successful communal life with limited restrain, which would helpful for them, to achieve spiritual development. Minimum requirements for recluse are cloth, food, shelter and medication. In addition to these requirements householders have numerous other needs to fulfill for leading a good household life. Sufficient economic condition is necessary for both of them in relevance to the objective of their life unless goal-achievement is impossible. For recluses have to depend on householders for their subsistence and they should advice householders in return for them to have successful family life progressively towards material and spiritual development. Thus recluse indirectly participates in economic activities while householders directly involve in it. Buddhist monk in Eastern countries had played very important role as advisors to the rulers and ordinary people for leading them to prosperity within the frame of morality. Advice given to householders for economic stability are scattered in the discourses of the Buddha. In contrast with recluses, acquisition of wealth is the function of householders whereas following the path of spiritual development is function of recluse. The householders, according to Buddhism, have to follow the path that material and spiritual development go hand in hand. Such a person who acquired both ends are similitude to a person who has two eyed whereas others who develop one side of them is similitude to a one eyed and the people who neither has material nor spiritual development to a blind4. This statement conveys that the criterion of economic development in Buddhism is paralleled to the spiritual development. So that economy and ethics should go together according to Buddhism. Anguttara Nikaya mention of seven spiritual treasures that can be achieved by both recluse and householders5. These treasures are saddha (faithfulness), sila (discipline in bodily and vocal action), hiri (fear in bad), ottappa (embarrassment in bad), suta (knowledge in learning or hearing), caga (liberality) and panna wisdom). These are considered as virtues more valuable than material gains. The buddha emphatically mentioned that those who have these qualities are not poor and their life is not empty even though they have no material wealth. (yassa ete dhanam atthi, itthiya purissassava, adhaliddoti tam ahu, amogham tassa jivitam) What Buddha taught was what is beneficial for spiritual development and material development of the beings. In other words Buddha did not say any thing that is not conducive to overcome suffering. Poverty is considered as a grave suffering6 and stimulated for economic stability of individual because it brings four types of
3 4
S. IV, P. 336 A. I P. 128. 5 A. IV, P. 6 6 A. IV, p. 351-354

148

happiness to individual.7 The first is happiness of ownership (Atthi sukha). Taking measures to alleviation of poverty is considered as a duty of a ruler8. Unless those who do not having snatch from those who having and it paves the way for prevailing many vice conducts. Making provisions and encouraging public in production and other activities for economic development is the duty of a ruler where as it is the duty of individual to work energetically for making their livelihood (udtthana sampada). Thus the householders should accumulate wealth by energetic striving, by strength of arm, by sweating and by lawful, justice and righteous manner. While appreciating energetic striving the Buddha denounced the laziness. Laziness is denounced as a factor of degradation. The nature of lethargy is postponing the action in hand taking environmental and physical factors into consideration. Gradual economic fall down of such a lethargic person is compared to the decreasing moon whereas economic prosperity of energetic striving person is compared to the growing moon9. Personal endeavor in economic pursuit of individual is highly praised in Buddhism. Mainly agriculture, animal husbandry, commerce and supply of services were the means of livelihood at the time of the Buddha. Production was labor based. Production at the time was either for family consumption or largely for local consumption. Now means of livelihood are numerous, means of production are numerous and production is for global market. Instead of labor, machinery is using largely. Large production with low expenditure and maximum profit is the modern economic principle. There is no way to against with new economic principles if these principles subjected to be moderated as to sufficient production, low expenditure and minimum profit. Machinery should be used in production in a wise manner. Machinery is an instrument so as other instruments that had been used in the past for their productive activities. Some machineries those are been used now is evolution of instruments that had been used in the past. Whatever the machinery or instrument use in production they don't have mind and sensation, but those who use them have. So, in process of production, human must be able to use them wisely with loving sensation. Those who engage in production should know the limit of production to prevent over production. Samma dittihi (right vision) and Samma sankappa10 (Right thought) should be the base of economic planning. Right vision is needed for knowing in advance the advantages and disadvantages of one's production. The advice given in Buddhism is to pondering repeatedly over the possible result of one's bodily, verbal and even mental action in advance of initiation of action. If one's action brings suffering to oneself, others, or both sides should be avoided. Vise versa action that brings happiness to oneself, others and or both sides should be done. The former known in Buddhism as akusala, which does not conduce to spiritual development where as the
7 8
A. II, P. 69-70 D. III, P. 61, 127 9 A. IV, P. 281-285, D. III, P.181 10 M. III, P. 71
149
latter known as kusala, which does conduce for spiritual development of the doer.11 Right vision is prerequisite in Buddhism in selection of ways and means of production and selection of one's livelihood. Right thought should be the driving force throughout the process of production and means of livelihood. Right thoughts are thoughts of detachment, nonhatred and non-violence. In place of attachment or craving/desire one should apply liberal thoughts in production and in choosing means of livelihood. It would prevent over production, mal-production, over profits and mal-practices that are common in global market based economy today. In place of hatred and violent thoughts one should apply non-hatred non-violence thoughts. They would prevent the production of harmful and disastrous things. If right thought in Buddhism put into practice everyone and everywhere everyone would be able to live happily on this earth without conflict and war. Everyone will equally enjoy the life and live peacefully and harmoniously and will progressive towards high spirituality. Is it not that economic, political and social problems that are prevalent today are due to lack of right vision and right thought? The most important teaching that should be taught to economists, politicians, scientists, technologists and generally all human beings without geographical, religious or social barriers is the teaching of loving kindness which is one of the main practices among true Buddhist. Loving-kindness or Metta is a teaching that can be applied universally without the banner of religion. The thoughts of loving kindness should spread boundlessly. Karaniya Metta Sutta (the discourse of loving kindness), is a masterpiece of the relevant teaching). Those who practice Buddhism is familiar with this discourse, but for those who not know and unfamiliar with the discourse here with include the translation of the Sutta for their understanding. 1. This is what is to be done by one who is skilful in respect of good, having attained the peaceful state. He should be capable, straight, and very upright, easy to speak to, gentle and not proud, 2. contented and easy to support, having few duties and of a frugal way of life, with his sense-faculties calmed, zealous, not impudent, (and) not greedy (when begging) among families. 3. And he should not do any mean thing, on account of which other wise men should criticize him. Let all creatures indeed be happy (and) secure; let them be happy-minded. 4. Whatever living creatures there are, moving or still without exception, whichever are long or large, or middle-sized or short, small or great,
11
M. III, P 206
150

5. whichever are seen or unseen, whichever live far or near, whether they already exist or are going to be, let all creatures be happy-minded. 6. One man should not humiliate another; one should not despise anyone anywhere. One should not wish another misery because of anger or from the notion of repugnance. 7. Just as a mother would protect with her life her own son, her only son, so one should cultivate a unbounded mind towards all beings, 8. and loving-kindness towards all the world. One should cultivate an unbounded mind, above and below and across, without obstruction, without enmity, without rivalry. 9. Standing, or going, or seated, or lying down, as long as on is free from drowsiness, one should practice this mindfulness. This, they say, is the holy state here. 10. Not subscribing to wrong views, virtuous, endowed with insight, having overcome greed for sensual pleasures, a creature assuredly does not come to lie again in a womb."12. It is my view that whatever the economic plan it should be aimed at global happiness and the practice Metta in this regard would be highly conducive for achieving said goal. The second happiness that householder can enjoy is the happiness of consumption with what he had earned (bhoga sukha). One should work hard and earn. Earning is not for hoarding or for preserving stinginess but firstly for ones own consumption and secondly for helping others (happiness of oneself and others). Anguttara Nikaya listed nine advantages of having wealth.13 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
12
For ones own expenditure such as food, clothing and shelter. For attending ones own parents wives, children and servants For using at the time of emergency such as illness For necessary charity works For treating relatives For treating guest and visitors For giving alms in memory of departed For meritorious act to offer merits to deities For paying taxes for the state.
The Group of Discourses (Sutta-Nipata) Vol. I, Norman, K. R. (The Pali Text Society, London, 1984) P. 24. 13 A. II, P. 65-69.
151
What is worthy of paying attention here is that out of these nine advantages the first one is the only advantage of wealth which conducive for ones own benefit. All the other advantages are for the benefit of others. Economic stability according to Buddhism is not for the selfish end but altraistic end. One needs to have stable economic condition for living a social life so as to fulfill his duties and responsibilities out of loving kindness and compassion. It is questionable whether contemporary economic goals are directed towards altraistic end. If there is any notion of altruism with economic pursuit, is there any possibility to have desire for hoarding and acquiring things in unjust manner and producing disastrous things just for profitable end. No doubt, many of the conflicts of the world today derived from unnecessary desire for having things and selfish attitude. Altruistic attitude is one of the noble qualities that should be cultivated by all. Application of loving kindness and compassion towards others is very necessary norms of Buddhism for wiping out selfish ends and for bringing happiness to all. Especially economy as the main factor of happiness and base of spiritual development economic pursuit should be based on altruistic attitude. Moreover, more and more consumption is persuaded in the modern economy but in the system of Buddhist economy, moderation in consumption is encouraged. Advice of the Buddha is to balance the income and expenditure (samjivikata)14. Both over consumption and stinginess is discouraged. One who used to over consumption is compared to person who eat wood-apple (udumbarakadika) by shaking the branches, (by shaking a branch both ripped and not ripped fall down but only ripen can be eat and others to be thrown out), whereas one who do not enjoy with one's possession is compared to a person who die without having (adjjumarana). Frugality in consumption is encouraged. One should not spend more than what one earns unless he will have to indebted. Contentment (santutthi), desiring little (appiccata), simplicity of life (sallahukautti) are the qualities one should apply in consumption. Advices given in Singalovada Sutta15 on production, consumption, investment and saving have tritemporal value. One should earn energetic striving in righteous manner. What one earned is advised to divide into four parts. One part out of four should be used for consumption where as two parts should be invested. Forth should be saved for using at any possible dangers in future. In this division there is neither place for over consumption nor for hoarding with stinginess but encouraged for frugality in consumption. And also he enjoys sharing with others. Investing two parts or half of ones income one's economic condition would grow up gradually. As he constantly saving one forth of income he would be able to live a happy life without borrowing.
14 15
A. IV, P. 281-285 D. III, P. 181

152

Third happiness of householder is happiness of being debtless (anana sukha). It is against modern economic concept of 'borrowing and consumption', which is very frequent in promoting in marketing at present. Modern economic system has indebted people and prompted them be indebt through credit cards and many forms of monetary transaction devices. If one were trained to practice afore mentioned contentment, desiring little, and simplicity of life according to Buddhist ethical norms, ere there any possibility for undergoing the suffering of indebtedness?. Indebtedness is one of main problems everywhere in the world today. There is no need of borrowing if one leads a simple and contended life with what one possesses. According to Buddhism more one's desire more one's suffering would be. More one accumulates things more one's suffering would be16. Stinginess as well as greedy in consumption is condemned and encouraged to follow a middle way that is the moderation in consumption. Moderation in consumption on the contrarily will prevent over production as well as environmental issues left thereof. Is it not better to apply this ethical concept of moderation in consumption to overcome the modern economic crisis even to some extend? The forth happiness is the happiness of blamelessness (anavajjasuka). It is to devoid from blameworthy unrighteous actions. Righteousness is highly granted in Buddhist economic system. It is the fifth factor of Noble Eightfold Path. According to Buddhism one should avoid from blameworthy activities such as selling weapons, animals, meat, intoxicants, poison. Businesses in this type no doubt very lucrative but they are disastrous to human and animal kingdom and largely to the whole environment and nature. As mentioned above, economic activities that one selects should not bring harm to both oneself and others instead it should bring happiness to both. It is the Buddhist criterion of economic activity. According to Buddhist economic guidance mere profit should not be the aim but how righteous is the ways and means of profit should be the prerequisite factor to be thinking over. In this context it is worthy mention the element system which is described as the inclusion of six paramitas (generosity, morality, patience, zeal, mindfulness and wisdom) of Mahayana Buddhism into economic activity. One who adheres to virtues in business is termed 'entrepreneur' whose main characteristic is that one would choose an occupation where work is conspicuously productive and helpful to others. Such works are recognized as 'meditation in action, which would bring him psychic income'. Entrepreneur would avoid unproductive and harmful activities. Instead one would attempt to work for non-exploitative companies producing useful goods and services. One would do work in the most mindful and least destructive way.17
M. I, P. 55. Guruge, A. W. P. Buddhist Economics- Myth and Reality, His Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism, Vol. 7, 2006, P 82.
17
16
153
Victims and Being Victimized: Women and Consumerism (A Buddhist Analysis)
Wilis Rengganiasih Endah Ekowati1
Framing the Problem When searching for a topic for this conference, my mind returned again and again to some womens issues I have encountered. My research on the Indonesian Theravdin nuns whose upasampad is being rejected as invalid by the Indonesian Sangha,2 my conversations with female migrant workers, the mistreatment I received from the migrant workers agent at the airport, my discussion with a thila sin on my visit to Sagaing, the signs posted at a number of Buddhist sites in Myanmar prohibiting ladies from entering the sacred areas, the death of twenty-one old ladies in a crowded place waiting for a religious charity in the amount of 30.000 rupiahs (equal to US$ 2.5 on todays currency), a number of mothers who committed suicide after killing their own children out of desperation trapped in poverty, and a friend of mine working as a dance teacher for young girls sent to Japan as entertainers. Though these women face different situations, each case and each woman are virtually interrelated to one another. Moreover, they are all women; and this is exactly what is important. This conference is a great opportunity to call attention to the lives of women amidst the global crisis we are facing. To my understanding, Buddhist writings which specifically concern women and consumerism are somewhat rare.3 There seems to be lack of understandingat least in my home country, Indonesiaof how women are indeed the poorest victims of, and exploited by, the ideology of capitalism, much less from a Buddhist analysis. As the country with the largest Muslim population, a Buddhist point of view might not be too significant to be heard. But for Buddhists, a Right Understanding of the issue is a must so that we will not fall into wrong views perpetuating the suffering of our sisters, mothers, and daughters. The problem of women and consumerism is a complex and complicated one. It requires a holistic approach examining the social, political, economic, cultural, ideological, and religious aspects creating and perpetuating the problem. On the
1
The writer is a lecturer at the Syailendra Buddhist College in Semarang, Indonesia. With the grant from the Fulbright Presidential Program scholarship, she will be starting her PhD in the US in Fall 2009. 2 Ekowati, Wilis Rengganiasih E. The Controversy of Bhikkhuni Ordination (Upasampad) within Theravda Buddhism in Indonesia. Unpublished M.A. Thesis. June, 2006. 3 A few wonderful works applying Buddhist analysis regarding consumption are done by Stephanie Kaza, Rita M. Gross, David Landis Barnhill, and Sulak Sivaraksa.
154

problem of over-consumption alone, a number of Buddhist scholars point out that greed and delusion are the root causes.4 Among the liberative methods, Kaza5 offers paiccasamuppda or dependent origination as a common pattern which arises over and over again in every moment of grasping and the Four Noble Truths. As this paper will specifically look at women within a consumer society, I will also apply the concept of paiccasamuppda to explain why women become the victims and are being victimized by consumerism. In this case, paiccasamuppda is not merely understood as a pattern of continual and repeated craving; rather, it explains the interdependence of a matrix of lives creating and perpetuating the womens situations trapped in the net of consumerism. My argument is that sexism exists in almost every societyespecially in developing countriesand places women in the position as the poorest victims as well as being victimized in every consumer society. The following discussion explains how consumerism works and affects the lives of women, and the interdependence of all aspects that cause and perpetuate the victimization of women.
Why Women and Consumerism? Consumerism has been spreading throughout the world. The fundamental belief of consumerism is that happiness can be achieved through consuming and possessing things. The pervasive and powerful influences of consumption or the Market in human life is proclaimed by David Loy6 as replacing the position and function of religion. Its theology, (economics), world view (science), and value system (consumerism) have been incontestably successful in converting the people of the world. I believe that at least the universal moral ethics (that actually here is lacking), non-sectarian teachings (all agreeing with a single doctrine that the more consumption the happier), and the promised-instantaneous-goals fulfillment through material acquirement are apparently the strongest characters of the new religion: market capitalism. But is the new religion really serving the spiritual and psychological needs of its followers? Is its ideology consumerism not discriminating against women as conventional religions are, considering that it is so appealing to and favoring female adherents as the major feature of its propaganda and media?
See, for instance: Gross, Rita M. Toward a Buddhist Environmental Ethic. In Harold Coward and Daniel C. Maguire. Visions of A New Earth: Religious Perspectives on Population, Consumption, and Ecology. New York: State University of New York Press, 2000, pp. 147-160, and Kaza, Stephanie. Overcoming the Grip of Consumerism. Buddhist-Christian Studies 20 (2000). University of Hawaii Press, pp. 23-42. 5 Kaza, Stephanie. Op. Cit., pp. 31-34. 6 Loy, David R. The Religion of the Market. Journal of the American Academy of Religion Vol. 65, No. 2 (Summer 1997), pp. 275-290.
155
First of all, some scholars evaluate consumerism to be deceptive and misleading. Promising that by the ritual of consuming one will be gratified with self-development, self-realization, and self-fulfillment,7 what truly is happening is just the opposite, or at least if one feels that his/her acts of consuming in one or another way fulfills his/her needs (whatever they are), this feeling is but what I believe to be false consciousness. From the Buddhist perspective, satisfying desire is just a wrong idea. Desire is like a bottomless abyss; no matter how much you fill it up with material goods, it is never full. Barnhill compares our modern culture to be much worse than living as hungry ghosts whose bloated stomachs never have enough by swallowing, but whose throat are as thin as pins, while the modern culture has a gargantuan mouth and throat, and yet we still act as if our bellies are empty.8 The fulfillment of psychological and spiritual needs as the main focus of conventional religions serve peoples needs for security, peacefulness, happiness, clarity, contentment, and love. With the imagery of the hungry ghost with its gigantic mouth and throat, the new religion generates insecurity, anxiety, greed, selfinterest, hatred or ill-will, and delusion. If applying the Buddha Dhamma in our daily lives will reduce our self-centeredness and the attachments that are born from such a wrong view, practicing the principles of consumerism will strengthen our ego attachment. As the further consequence, embracing the former wisdom we are able to take control of ourselves; holding the latter belief, we are enslaved and lose control of our own desire. To be a slave of a rich lord or a lady is at least one still having hope to be released by the master, but to be a slave of consumerism is to be destroyed in the end. McGregor9 warns us that consumerism is a source of structural violence. Operating as the form of a structure, its enticement is so subtle and hardly recognized by those being trapped in it. Thus, the dangerous nature of consumerism arises because those who are victims of structural violence often do not see the systemic ways in which their plight is choreographed by unequal and unfair distribution of societys resources or by human constraint caused by economic and political structures.10 Since the victims are being imbued by false consciousness, helping to stop them is almost impossible, unless they can see through their wrong understanding and renounce it, realizing their wrong conduct and desire to end it. Otherwise, they will be the number-one participants in their own and others suffering, as McGregor says, Because they do not critically challenge the market ideology, and what it means to live in a consumer society, they actually contribute to
7
McGregor, Sue. Consumerism as a Source of Structural Violence, p. 4. http://www.kon.org/hswp/archive/ consumerism.pdf. Retrieved: August 5, 2007. 8 Barnhill, David Landis. Good Work: An Engaged Buddhist Response to the Dilemmas of Consumerism. Buddhist-Christian Studies, Vol. 24 (2004), p. 55. 9 McGregor, Sue. Op. Cit. 10 Ibid., p. 5.
156

their own oppression (slaves of the market and capitalism) as well as the oppression of others who make the goods and of the natural ecosystem.11 Sulak Sivaraksas identification of the situation in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries suffering from the occupation of the religion of consumerism12 is more or less similar to the situation in Indonesia. It is a really critical time for Indonesians since, day by day, the growth of prostitution and other new forms of slavery as the result of human trafficking has been increasing and its area of influence is widening. Stephanie Kaza highlights the five systems players that cooperate in promoting profit-making in the consumer culture: the producers, advertisers, media, governments, and TNCs.13 Each of these players commits its own evil-doing with a sophisticated strategy and various means. Accurately McGregor indicates consumerism as a structural violence pervading a society: People affected by structural violence tend to live a life of oppression, exclusion, exploitation, marginalization, collective humiliation, stigmatization, repression, inequities, and lack of opportunities due to no fault of their own, per se. And she adds that the people most affected by structural violence are women, children, and elders; those from different ethnic, racial, and religious groups; and sexual orientation.14 Hence, my claim that women are the element of society most adversely affected by consumerism is true because in the majority, women are taking care of their children and parents, and this means additional burdens for women. When we turn on the radio and television or open the pages of magazines or newspapers, or surf on websites, there are faces and bodies of women being manipulated to offer different kinds of goods and services. Womens beauty and sexy bodies have generally been used to attract consumer's attention in almost every field. In working as actresses, artists or models, women in Indonesia are generally well-paid though some of them, in some arenas and to some extent, are less aware of the male-bias in the operating system and ideology which seemingly praises their femaleness and yet much of the expressions are degrading. Or even if some of them are aware of unfair treatment, they willingly take part in the trade or the systems as they are also getting benefits. Yet women are the most desired targets of any goods and services. Advertisements and the media are powerful means for entering the lives of human beings nowadays; they are not only super creatively offering products and services
11 12
Ibid., p. 6. Sivaraksa, Sulak. Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. Berkeley: Parallax, 1992, p. 3. 13 Kaza, Stephanie. Op.Cit., pp. 28-30. 14 McGregor, Sue. Op. Cit. p. 5.
157
to be hardly avoided and rejected by the consumers, but also amazingly constructing and dictating the whole idea of what a human being supposes to have or have not, the value of life in terms of what happiness is all about, and so on. Pollay describes the potency of the media in society, The proliferation and the intrusion of various media into the everyday lives of the citizenry make advertising environmental in nature, persistently encountered, and involuntary experienced by the entire population.15 Several times I heard that when mens careers or businesses collapse, women are often accused as the cause of the failure. If men commit corruption, the immediate accusation is that it was usually caused by a wish to fulfill their womenseither their wives or mistresses or bothdesire for goods and leisure. Such negatives pictures about women are also presented in daily television programs, i.e. soup operas. Women and young girls are depicted as being consumerist, spending their parents or husbands or lovers money for shopping, clubbing, vacation and traveling, or doing beauty care at beauty centers, and so on. In addition to these, girls and women are often categorized into several characters which are routinely exaggerated for being too weak, passive, powerless, stupid, nave, emotional, on the one hand, and spoiled, greedy, full of envy, too aggressive, irritable, and wicked, on the other. [Editor: why then do women make such demands?] Another group is those of less fortunate women: they are poor, uneducated, living in rural villages as peasantsand they are not the landownersor unemployed, or living in urban poor and crowded areas. Some of them are economically dependent or independent but overly burdened with feeding their families, or earning money by working as housemaids, baby-sitters and other informal sectors, shop-keepers, cheap labor at factories, prostitutes, migrant workers, and more. Migrant workers are one of our best commodities. Many women and girls aged 14 4016 are sent abroadboth legally and illegallyto Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and the state calls them Pahlawan Devisa (the Heroesand Heroinesof Foreign Exchange). Struggling to survive with barely enough wages as the breadwinners is the only choice available to them since they see no hope to remain in their villages. Unfortunately they are vulnerable to any physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, starting from the time of recruitment, at the port or airport, in the country of destination, and on their way back home to Indonesia. The worst of all is that there is no strong law enforcement to protect women laborers rights and ensure their wellbeing both from the Indonesian
15 Pollay, Richard W. The Distorted Mirror: Reflections on the Unintended Consequences of Advertising. Journal of Marketing Vol. 50 (April 1986), p. 18. 16 Female Migrant Workers Research Team. Migration, Remittance, and Female Migrant Workers. World Bank Office Jakarta, 2006, p. 2. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTINDONESIA/Resources/fact_sheetmigrant_workers_en_jan06.pdf. Retrieved: March 17, 2009.
158

government and the destination countries, so that cases of violence and exploitation ending in physical and psychological injuries including death are not unusual. The state, which is supposed to support and provide protection to its people, has been silent or reluctant to take any serious action preventing or searching for a solution. Even more, Indonesia has not rectified the 1990 United Nations Migrant Workers Convention to protect the migrant workers and their families. These lower class women and their families have been striving to earn money to establish a certain lifestyle. Some migrant workers who in the beginning worked to fulfill their basic subsistence then continued to earn money for more needs. On my interview with a mother of five children who has been working in Malaysia for thirteen years, she admits that she cannot set aside her wages for saving. She often remembers her children and then sends whatever much money she has back to her family. She wants to demonstrate her longing for her children with the money she earns to buy all the things that her children want. But she also regrets that her daughters are all married in their youth, even before completing their junior high schools. She feels that her sacrificefor being away from her family for yearsis not really worth it. She hopes to see her childrenespecially her daughters successful in their school, so that they will not become migrant workers as herself. But no matter how much money she sends back to her family it has never been enough.17 This is the impact of the mushrooming of consumerism, including trends in fashion and electronic devices, and the allure of a luxury lifestyle, that has reached remote and poor villages, so that the simple life is no longer accepted as normal life. Families who previously lived simply now begin to accumulate goods that they see as appropriate to possess in modern life. Poverty turns to greed; need turns to want; simple turns to luxury; and no one has been aware of the poison they have been drinking. Common people might see the phenomenon of women as victims and being victimized in every consumer society as but their own weaknesses and fault; if women are just able to control their desire for luxurious lives and goods, they will not have to be trapped in the world of consumerism. If families are content in living a simple life, they will not have to sell their daughters to become prostitutes or cheap laborers in big cities or overseas. Unfortunately, the situations are not as simple as they are seen. The economic situations, social, political, ideological, cultural, and religious are complicatedly mixed creating the problem. All women presented above share a common desire: they want to be happy, though of course, the degree of happiness, the means to achieve it, and the forms of happiness differ from one to another. The higher and middle classes are working and then spending their money to satisfy their desires for self-fulfillment, owning things,
17
Suwarti (pseudonym). Personal interview, March 3, 2009.

159
and other interests. Women from the lower class are working tirelessly even by risking their health and lives to survive; mothers sacrificing their precious times to be with their children to work overseas for feeding and making happy their children, girls helping their parents and siblings, paying the debt of their families, and sending their siblingsmore often their brothersto schools while leaving themselves less or uneducated. Ultimately, all of them are searching for their own happiness and the happiness of their loved-ones. Regrettably, the new religion of consumerism has misguided people with its value system by defining happiness, self-development, and self-fulfillment with the act of consuming. The highly sophisticated of its economic science has infiltrated the lives of the people very smoothly using the magic spell of advertising. Sivaraksa points out the more subtle yet more dangerous player intruding the lives of people is the work of advertising. In his own word: The claim that capitalism gives freedom to the people by providing choice is not wholly true. Advertising becomes critical. Advertising agencies determine in large part what is sold, and they deceive the people in ways we scarcely realize. This is not real freedom. Under a dictatorship, at least the people know that the government is deceiving them, for the propaganda is usually quite crude. But deception that plays on peoples greed is more difficult to perceive. In poor countries, wherever there is electricity, families feel that they must buy a television, no matter how poor they are. TV is a status symbol, and it plays an important part in deceiving the public. People will sell their land, if necessary, to buy a TV, and then they are told on that same TV that they need even more things to be happy.18
Interdependence - Buddhist Analysis on Victimization of Women by Consumerism: Consumerism has made women to be the poorest victims of its operating systems. They suffer badly as the values of life are measured by the accumulation of goods since the majority of women living in developing countries like Indonesia struggle to barely survive. The women who lack of education and skills staying at their houses and doing their domestic jobs are of no value in the operating systems of consumerism. They are not making money, thus, they are not potent consumers. Yet, they are being targeted as the commodityi.e. cheap laborersbeing manipulated in the mass production. Those who cannot be absorbed in the laborer sector, are depressed, some ending in death and suicide. The higher paid women working as actresses, artists and models, or high class prostitutes are of no exception. Market capitalism has created new fields for
18
Sivaraksa, Sulak. Op. Cit., p. 40.

160

reaping profit by exploiting these women as its commodity. Commoditization, according to Mosse is a process in which services and goods tend to gain a commercial value, in response to a process of economic growth and activity which registers only those activities and processes that involve money, credit, and cash transfers.19 Hence, women are only treated as a commodity, both in the higher and lower paid jobs; in other words, women are being victimized by market capitalism. Women are also being victimized when they are running on the treadmill satisfying their insatiable desire to consume more and more as dictated by the ideology of consumerism. As a woman living in a developing country, I share the feelings of being treated unfairly by the governments policy, the cruel and inhumane global economy and global market, the institutionalized greed and delusion of capitalism and its networks, the ill-willboth intended and unintendedof men or men-dominated institutions. I do not feel comfort receiving the privilege studying in higher education with a scholarship while the siblings of my students are risking their lives working as servants in neighboring countries without health and life insurance. I am urged to do anything to change the situation; raising the awareness of women and their families, lifting the education of girls and women of my country, approaching the government and religious leaders. The last element is considered to be powerful to work with since in Indonesia the majority of the people are still listening to the wisdom of religious teachings. Hence, the voice of religious leaders is hoped to be effective in correctly understanding the problems. The difficulty is that religious leaders often lack a holistic approach and the comprehension of secular perspectives that are needed in understanding and analyzing the problems. In my case in Indonesiaat least among my Theravdin communitythere is no concern to evaluate the complexity of institutionalized greed, ill-will, and delusion and the operating systems; rather, spiritual wellbeing of individuals are the common theme being preached.20 As a result, they often fail to take into consideration the big picture and the root causes so that these same problems are misunderstood and unsolved. In regard to non-Buddhist perspectives, i.e. feminism that I borrowed to give voice to the Indonesian bhikkhunis and their supporters, have been suspected as a Western product and non-Buddhist. An engaged Buddhist, David Landis Barnhill claims that dealing with the problem, i.e. environmental destruction and consumerism, Buddhism must go beyond the limits of its own tradition and draw on the insights of contemporary social and
19 Mosse, Julia Cleves. Half the World Half a Chance: An Introduction to Gender and Development. Oxford: Oxfam, 1993, p. 19. 20 Ekowati, Wilis Rengganiasih E. Are We Socially Engaged? A Preliminary Study on the Modes of Teachings and Practices of the Theravda in Indonesia. Paper presented at the 2nd Bi-annual Conference of the Association of Theravda Buddhist Universities 4-8 March, 2009, Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing, p. 2.
161
environmental philosophies, from anarchism to bioregionalism.21 Moreover, when risking the well-being of others, we must avoid any possible carelessness or cast away our ignorance in response to any issues. As Gross puts it, For Buddhism, it should be a grave concern that well-intentioned individuals nevertheless participate in systems that cause harm.22 To understand the various aspects interplay in the victimization of women by consumerism is to start it from its very cause. Sexism, I believe, is the underlying factor that bears the imbalanced power relation between men and women and operates in almost every part of human life: politics, social, economics, culture, ideology, and of course, religion. Its manifestations or implications can be varied and barely recognized by those who are insensitive to such an ingrained epidemic. Magrit Eichler states that none of us has ever lived in a nonsexist society, that our major concepts, our way of seeing reality, our willingness to accept proof, have been shaped by one dimensionone sexrather than by two. 23 What we perceive as normal, right, and appropriate in regard to maleness and femaleness are usually taken for granted as the norms have been socialized since we were born. Overcoming the limitation of a one-sided vantage point is not easy at all, and this is proven with the still occurring sexism and gender inequalities in many societies. Even in Buddhist societies which extraordinarily offer the doctrine of nonduality, dualism causing discrimination against women has persisted throughout the ages. Sometimes, the nonduality and egalitarian features of the basic teachings of the Buddha have easily covered over the inequalities and discrimination happening at the praxis level. Ones identity as a member of a society is determined by different factors, i.e. ones sexual identity, gender identity, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, age, profession, and more. Among these factors, sexual identity is closely related with gender identity and is often mistakenly overlapped. Sexuality is a social construction of a biological drive, and gender is a social and cultural construct that differentiates women from men and defines the ways in which women and men interact with each other.24 Accordingly, the concept of gender involves the widely shared expectations and norms about appropriate male and female behaviors, characteristics, and roles.25
Barnhill, David Landis. Good Work: An Engaged Buddhist Response to the Dilemmas of Consumerism. Buddhist-Christian Studies, Vol. 24 (2004), p. 56. 22 Gross, Rita M. and Rosemary Radford Ruether. Religious Feminism and the Future of the Plant: Buddhist-Christian Dialogue. New York: Continuum, 2001, p. 177. 23 Eichler, Margrit. Nonsexist Research Methods: A Practical Guide. New York: Routledge, 1991, pp. 23. 24 Gupta, Geeta Rao. Gender, Sexuality, and HIV/AIDS: The What, the Why, and the How. Plenary Address XIIIth International AIDS Conference. Durban, South Africa. July 12, 2000, pp. 1-2. 25 Ibid.
162
21

As the power relation between men and women is imbalance, it is no wonder that gender differences imply inequalities. But gender is only one among several aspects of inequality; other aspects are age, race or ethnicity, nationality, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and dis/ability.26 Gupta Rao admits that among other things, gender is the most determining aspect in shaping our identity: Our gender determines the different life experiences we will be exposed to. It may determine our access to education, to work, to the tools and resources needed for industry and craft; it may determine our health, our life expectancy, our freedom of movement. It will almost certainly determine our sexuality, our relationship, and our ability to make decisions and act autonomously. Our gender is perhaps the single most important factor in shaping who we become.27 If one aspectour genderhas already had such significant impacts in our lives, we can imagine the tremendous implications of the combination of other aspects. For example, it is not the fault of mothers who killed their children and then committed suicide out of desperation of poverty and old ladies who died in a crowded place waiting for the amount of US$2.5. Their gender identity, age, class, education, and profession determine their lives within a society which holds certain value systems. In a capitalistic society, for instance, their functions as the care-givers and nurturers of their families and thus, also the society they live in, are not appreciated, or considered as having economic value. This also applies to their age, i.e. whether their age are categorized as productive or not, and so forth. They do not receive any compensationeven respectfor their hard and sincere works; both the state and the capitalist do not care of these women well-beings since the two powers are working hand in hand within certain economic value systems. It is stated by Mosse that: Reductionist economics assumes that only paid labor produces value. On the one hand this leads to ignoring mans [sic] dependence on the natural world, while on the other, it provides the ideology of the gender division of labor such that womens work in providing sustenance is treated as having no economic value even while it provides the very basic survival and wellbeing A gendered dichotomy is created between productive and nonproductive work on the basis of money and price as the only measure of economic worth and wealth.28 As I mentioned in the beginning of our discussion, the concept of paiccasamuppda I propose here is somewhat different from that being offered by
26 27
Badley, Hariet. Inequality. UK: Polity Press. 1996, p. 13. Mosse, Julia Cleves. Op. Cit., p. 4. 28 Ibid., p. 14.
163
Stephanie Kaza. In response to the issue of victimization of women by consumerism, I demonstrate paiccasamuppda as the interdependence of a matrix of lives. This is more in line with Nhat Hanhs given meaning. In his The Making of Buddhist Modernism, McMahan analyzes that ...interdependence in this iteration assumes a significance nearly opposite to that of the early Pali account. Far from a chain of causes and effects binding beings to rebirth in a world of suffering, todays interdependence implies a sacred matrix of mutual communality and co-participation, the extended body of all beings.29 In the light of this understanding, I do not rationalize the humans never ending cravings and insatiable desires; instead, the victimization of women by the ideology of capitalism is the result of complex elements as the producers and perpetrators of the problem. The understanding of paiccasamuppda as the law of interdependence is truly helpful in expel our ignorance of the underlying factors of the consumerism and what it has done to women. Indeed, having comprehended the interrelated causes, that are the working systems of consumerism, sexism engendering the imbalanced power gender relation, social inequalities bearing from age, ethnicity, education, etc., we have to end and prevent the further suffering of our fellow (women) beings. As Buddhists, we need to thoroughly looking at the big picture and sensitively recognizing the gender-bias occurring in our everyday lives. Gender-bias exists in the global structures of male dominance and the exploitation of women,30 and not only individual misogyny. Sivaraksas warning about the interrelation of the structures of patriarchal greed, hatred, and delusion with the violence in the world is imperative in evaluating the victimization of women.
Final Remarks The women and their cases I presented in the introduction of this paper are sharing a common desire: all wanting happiness. The Indonesian Theravdin bhikkhunis, the thila sin, the migrant worker, dead old ladies and mothers with their children, and myself are interconnected and interdependence in one way or another. Their sufferings are my suffering, and my suffering is theirs, too. So, it is clear that there is no single cause, single victim, single solution, and single agent to blame. All elements of society, the rich, the poor, the government, multi-national corporations, the global market, religious leaders, monks, prostitutes, scholars, and others, are participating in the existing situation. We are interrelated or interconnected to each
McMahan, David L. The Making of Buddhist Modernism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, p. 173. 30 Sivaraksa, Sulak. Op. Cit., p. 76.
164
29

other; we are interbeings.31 Accepting that we are all interbeings, we will be starting to see and feel the suffering of others to be our own suffering, and the happiness of others to be our own happiness. We have to be responsible for the destroying of the future and the lives of womenand other sentient beings and our environment. By overcoming our dualism as well as individuality, we are on the path of liberation, and by doing so, we are helping others achieving their liberation. May all being be happy and liberated!
Nhat Hanh, Thich. Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. New York: Bantam. 1991, pp. 95-96.
165
31
References Badley, Hariet. Inequality. UK: Polity Press. 1996. Barnhill, David Landis. Good Work: An Engaged Buddhist Response to the Dilemmas of Consumerism. Buddhist-Christian Studies, Vol. 24 (2004), pp. 55-63 Cabezon, Jose Ignacio (Ed.). Buddhism, Sexuality, and Gender. Albany: State University of New York. 1992. Eichler, Margrit. Nonsexist Research Methods: A Practical Guide. New York: Routledge. 1991. Ekowati, Wilis Rengganiasih E. The Controversy of Bhikkhuni Ordination (Upasampad) within Theravda Buddhism in Indonesia. Unpublished M.A. Thesis. June, 2006. _______. Are We Socially Engaged? A Preliminary Study on the Modes of Teachings and Practices of the Theravda in Indonesia. Paper presented at the 2nd Bi-annual Conference of the Association of Theravda Buddhist Universities 4-8 March, 2009, Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing. Female Migrant Workers Research Team. Migration, Remittance, and Female Migrant Workers. World Bank Office Jakarta, 2006. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ INTINDONESIA/Resources/fact_sheetmigrant_workers_en_jan06.pdf. Retrieved: March 17, 2009. Gross, Rita M. Toward a Buddhist Environmental Ethic. In Harold Coward and Daniel C. Maguire. Visions of A New Earth: Religious Perspectives on Population, Consumption, and Ecology. New York: State University of New York Press, 2000, pp. 147-160. Gross, Rita M. and Rosemary Radford Ruether. Religious Feminism and the Future of the Plant: Buddhist-Christian Dialogue. New York: Continuum, 2001, p. 177. Gupta, Geeta Rao. Gender, Sexuality, and HIV/AIDS: The What, the Why, and the How. Plenary Address XIIIth International AIDS Conference. Durban, South Africa. July 12, 2000. Kaza, Stephanie. Overcoming the Grip of Consumerism. Buddhist-Christian Studies 20 (2000). University of Hawaii Press, pp. 23-42.
166

Lama, Kandhu. Trafficking in Buddhist Girls: Empowerment through Prevention. In Tsomo, Karma Lekshe. Buddhist Women and Social Justice: Ideals, Challenges, and Achievements. Albany: State University of New York Press. 2004. Loy, David R. The Religion of the Market. Journal of the American Academy of Religion Vol. 65, No. 2 (Summer 1997), pp. 275-290. McGregor, Sue. Consumerism as a Source of Structural Violence. http://www.kon.org/ hswp/archive/consumerism.pdf. Retrieved: August 5, 2007. McMahan, David L. The Making of Buddhist Modernism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Mosse, Julia Cleves. Half the World Half a Chance: An Introduction to Gender and Development.Oxford: Oxfam, 1993. Nhat Hanh, Thich. Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. New York: Bantam. 1991. Peach, Lucinda Joy. Buddhism and Human Rights in the Thai Sex Trade. In Howland, Courtney W. Religious Fundamentalism and the Human Right of Women. New York: Palgrave, 1999. pp. 215-226. Pollay, Richard W. The Distorted Mirror: Reflections on the Unintended Consequences of Advertising. Journal of Marketing Vol. 50 (April 1986), pp. 18-36. Puntarigvivat, Tavivat. A Thai Buddhist Perspective. In Raines, John. C. and Daniel C. Maguire (ed.). What Men Owe to Women: Mens Voices from World Religions. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press. 2001. Sivaraksa, Sulak. 1992. Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. Berkeley: Parallax. Tsomo, Karma Lekshe. Buddhist Women in the Global Community: Women as Peacemakers. In Chappell, David W. (Ed.). Buddhist Peacework Creating Cultures of Peace. Boston: Wisdom Publications. 1999.
167
The Modern Economic Crisis - A Buddhist Perspective Ven. Dr. Naimbala Dhammadassi Head, Dept of Pali and Buddhist Studies University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Since 1750s, the world has witnessed two great revolutions changing things forever. Firstly, a revolution in agricultural sector drove poor laborers off the land. Secondly, a revolution in industry transformed cottage industries into massive factories with vast new towns called industrial cities. These were further fuelled by European Colonization paving the way to a massive and vast network of economic activities around the world, thus paving the way to Modern Economics. Regarding the modern economics two factors are obvious. Firstly it has been deeply rooted and nurtured by the Judaic-Christian Thought. Secondly, it has been based on Natural Sciences and Mathematics. However, several Centuries later, at present, man has realized the illusiveness that had been buried in that rosy outlook. A vast net-work of crisis situations headed by moral degradation and environmental pollution can be taken as classic instances. These confusions have fuelled very recently by the latest and the greatest event of the global economic crisis. Japan, UK, USA and Spain, the developed economic nations are in recession, with new job losses being announced on a daily basis. The International Labor Organization, too, has announced that as many as fifty one (51) million jobs worldwide could be losing due to this situation. In brief, the world economic growth is set to decline to just 0.5% this year (2009), its lowest rate since World War II. It is also reported that the US job loss has now reached its lowest rate since 1974. Here are some defects and failures of modern economics 1. The greatest emphasis appears to be made on the adequacy of resources than that of the viability of human needs. Hence, supplying of resources has become a major concern. However, no diagnostic analysis is made on human needs (critique of human needs rather than resources). 2. Development is measured merely in terms of economic growth and the physical indicators of the quality of life etc. To achieve this, the consumption of resources at a rapid rate has been emphasized. However, the greatest defect of this conviction is that it has paved the way to utilize selfishly the scarce resources without caring for the future generations. For instance, the USAs consumption of worlds
168

resources within 40 years being equal to what mankind has consumed during the last 4000 years. 3. A greater importance and priority has been given to an acquisition of power, material comfort, gains, and wealth. As a result, certain nations appear to have got involved in unnecessary disputes and war with others due largely on economic reasons. The best example, according to modern critiques is the USA and Iraqi War. Additionally, we have to take serious consideration on the massive wastage of resources to such unnecessary disputes and wars 15,000 in number for last 5000 years of human history. 4. Modern economics and related development strategies, to a great deal have disintegrated the natural environment. It has been adopted an extremely negative and unwholesome attitude towards the natural phenomena. 5. One of the greatest challenges faced by the modern economy is that the majority of the human population is neglected, and hence, is in the lowest economic state. These inequalities in economic states have destined almost every poor country to become poorer while certain affluent nations have become richer at the expense of those in poverty. According to recent estimates about half the worlds population is living below poverty level. Malnutrition and starvation are menaces to 3rd world countries, while one third are concerning for the viability of their life styles. 6. The intensive competition that prevails currently has created a mental trend for wining at any cost, which, in turn, paves the way to an unprecedented moral decay. This situation has directly contributed to many a crime including terrorism, brutal killings, genocide attempts, and even massive cases related to bribery and corruption etc., all in all, tearing the very fabric of our social harmony.
The Buddhist critique: From the perspective of Buddhism, above defects as well as current crisis situation in global economy are no more than a result of mal-practices adopted by modern man. Also, they are nothing but external manifestations of modern mans deep-seated desires and innate anxieties for self-indulgence and material comfort. In brief, these are totally directed towards the self-indulgence (Kama Sukhallikanuyoga) which is seen in Buddhism as utterly vain, low (hino), rustic (gammo), vulgar
169
(pothujjaniko), unworthy (anariyo) and associated with evil consequences (anatthasamhito). As it is stated, when human sensuality for both subjective and objective desires exceeds certain limits and proportions, disastrous repercussions may arise.
The Buddhist Economic Principles: First and foremost, Buddhist economic principles are based on such important factors and concepts as psychological traits and change in attitudes, interdependent understanding, restrained life style, caring attitude on economic resources, sharing attitude on economic resources, resource recycling, and right livelihood etc. Psychological Traits: From the Buddhist point of view, many a problem related to economic arena experienced by man today is deeply rooted in the motivational drives of human behavior. The most general motivational forces behind human behavior include greed (lobha), desire or lust (tanha), delusion (moha), and conceive (mna) etc. Greed, it should be noted, manifests in two forms, i.e., lust for sensuous gratification and the motivational drive for self-preservation. As a matter of fact, it explains how certain imperfections, defections and vices radically cause the degradation of human beings and warn against their final outcome. The insatiable desire and the boundless greed for power, wealth, possessions, and material comfort are seen as the root-cause that creates many a conflict preventing people from acting out of wisdom and compassion towards others in the society and the natural surrounding. The kma sutta of the Sutta-nipta1 refers to a major motivational force kma denoting both subjective sensuality (kilesa kma) and the objective sensuality (vatthu-kma). The objective sensuality covers the human greed and desire for material things which are attractive (rajaniyam vatthu, vatthu kma). Human action, largely motivated by both subjective and objective sensuality may sometimes exceed certain limits and proportions, can generate harmful effects on both oneself and the others in the society at large. When such a phenomena occurs it transforms itself into a crisis or dilemma situation. The best examples are the global economic crisis and the ecological crisis the world face today. The Kutadanta sutta and the Cakkavatti sihanda sutta of the Digha nikya,2 refer to certain economic factors causing seriously to both human degradation and environmental imbalance. These factors include the attachment to vicious deeds (adhammarga), inordinate and inexccessive greed (visamalobha), and misleading doctrines (micchdhamma). Hence, it is crystal clear, that most of the problems related to economics and environment etc., emanate primarily from human nature, himself and will last till man rectifies himself. Hence, Buddhist economic system suggests strongly a psychosocial transformation and a
1 2
Sutta-nipata, Atthaka vagga (4-1) Digha- nikaya, . iii, 73.

170

radical change in attitude by man, rather than mastery or dominance over natural environment. Inter-dependent understanding: Buddhism, to a large extent, centers on the interests of man, hence, anthropocentric. Man, on the other hand, is also seen as a social being, and, in particular, is seen as a part of the nature itself, made up of the similar physical elements and governed by both the natural and causal laws (dhamma niyma) common to whole. Nevertheless, he is not the sole being or the most privileged being who has power of dominion towards either organic or inorganic. All beings including man is termed in Buddhist discourses as Satta, Pna, Bhta etc., referring to all possible living creatures in the world.3 It is advised that one should spread infinite love and compassion to all beings just as a mother protects her one and only son as her own life (mt yath niya putta yus eka putta manurakkhe).4 From the points discussed above it is evident that man cannot survive unless the natural resources are properly managed and survived. The Buddhist economic principles cannot be devoid of its principal tenet Dependent Origination (paicchasamuppda). The uniqueness of Buddhist doctrine lies much on its strong emphasis with regard to man and the whole universe with its all animate and inanimate constituents. The whole universe, on the other hand, is a solely one vast network of processes in flux with a variety of diverse and innumerable inter-relations, inter-connections and cohesive factors.5 For example, the Pahnappakarana deals with some of these causal factors inter-mingled and interdependent as 24. Hence, there is no God, nor Brahma or even any other invisible personality. Nevertheless, purely the dhammas or cohesive factors in flux alone do exist and these are activated and functioned by the collection of causal factors. The real factor depicted by this is that man and nature are inter-dependent. In brief, the principle and the most important message given in Buddhism for modern man who experiences the worst ever economic setback, is the cultivation of balanced mental attitude towards economic activities, and the nature, which provides him with the real living breath for his survival and progress. This is largely because humanity and nature have inter-dependent complexity or coexistence. With regard to this point of discussion, an interesting account can be gleaned from the Anguttara nikya where it is stated that when the rulers of a country become corrupted and filled with vicious deeds (adhammacariya), the whole community (populace), too, become ruthless, and all in all, this vicious circle, in turn,
3 4
See. Dharamasiri, G., Fundamentals of Buddhist Ethics, Singapore 9108, 1986,pp.174-175 Sutta- nipata, v. 149 5 See. Samuyatta nikaya, II. P.78;
171
will definitely make a negative impact on environmental phenomena, and, more than that, the health of man is ruined, thus, spelling the ruin of the human race.6 Restrained life-style based economy: The life-style advocated by the Buddha for both monastic and lay community is that of the Restrained Life. The remarks made in the discourse of Karaniyametta can be taken as a classic example. This discourse explains the characteristics to be possessed by those who seek peace and tranquility as the goal of life (yantam santam panitam abhisamecca). Thus it is stated that he or she should be contented (santussako) efficient (sakko)" honest (uju), polite in speech (suvaco), gentle (mudu) and modest (anatimani). In addition to that, most importantly, he or she should be contented and satisfied with minimum facilities and gains etc. Such a one who leads a simple life with limited necessities is also greatly admired as an exemplary (AN. IV. 2, 220, 229). Caring attitude on Economic Resources: Buddhist economic teachings emphasize thoroughly the fact that the resources are so limited and meager, hence, should be utilized wisely and carefully. Having realized the value of caring, and protecting the biosphere and the natural phenomena the Lord Buddha advised his followers repeatedly to take measures towards that direction. This freshly attitude is obvious from the examples given below. The Sigalovada-sutta can be taken as a classic example. It is explained beautifully how the wise person should acquire wealth without over-exploitation of the limited resources of the nature. It is advised that 'In accumulating wealth man should follow the example of the bee, so that wealth increases gradually, like an anthill (Bhoge samharamanassa - bhamarassevairiyato-bhoga sannicayam yantivammiko'vupaciyati -DN.Ill.188). Eco-friendly and resource-protecting acts and deeds are encouraged, and even considered meritorious (Punna). Construction of parks groves, fruit trees, and even forests etc., are referred to as providing merit for ever and ever (Sada Punnam pavaddhati). Thus it is stated: For those who construct parks groves, plant fruitful trees, and forests build bridges and supply drinking water etc., By day, by night, for ever and ever merit grows perfectly7. Eco-friendly rules and regulations:
6 7
See. Anguttara nikaya, Catukka nipata, Pattakamma vagga. Samyutta nikaya , Aditta vaga, Vanaropa sutta (Aramaropa vanaropa ye jana setukaraka.tesam divaca rattoca sada punnam pavaddhati)
172

o o To refrain from cutting down plants and trees Bhutagama patavyataya pacittiyam8. To refrain from urinating, pass motioning and spitting where there is water na udake ucchrav passrava khelava karissmiti sikkh karaniy)9 To refrain from putting any monastic structures close to where there is water na harite agilano ucchrav passrava khelamva karissmiti sikkh karaniy)10.
Sharing attitude on Economic Resources: Buddhism advocates further the principle of sharing resources as well. This is largely because resources are so scarce. and hence should be shared and distributed at its optimum measure. With regard to lay community, the sharing economic principle is well-stressed as Bhoga Sukha. Therefore, it is perfectly clear that Buddhism advices, not only to find happiness in making effort to collect wealth (atthi sukha), but also to share it with others (bhoga sukha). With regard to sharing policy it is emphasized to share the wealth with family itself, relatives, society and even religious purposes. The encouragements made towards charitable activities as relief masseurs to poverty, or generosity or the act of alms-giving (dana), too can be considered the best means of sharing resources. The wards such as dana samvibhagarato (delighting in giving and sharing) and vossaggarato willingness on the part of men and women to part with some of there passions. In brief, the practice of giving can be cultivated in two levels; individual level and the state level on which the cakkawatti sihanada sutta can be taken as the classic example. The process of resource recycling: Concerning the grave risk of the shortage of resources, the resource recycling is of a paramount importance. The earliest statement with regard to the natural resource management ensuring the wise and proper use of resources and their recycling in the history of mankind, it is astonishing, perhaps, can be gleaned from the Vinaya Piaka. Thera Ananda, the attendant of the Buddha, once explained the King how robes (chivara) should be utilized up to a maximum use. When robes are received the old ones are taken and coverlets, the coverlets utilized as mattress covers, the forever mattress covers used as dusters and old tattered dusters kneaded with clay and used to repair cracked floors and walls.11 The untimely validity and value of this is well-attested when we make a serous observation on modern mal-practices maintained by the worlds most
8 9
See, Vinaya Pitaka, vol. iii p. 126 ; Dhammapada, v. 283 Pacittiya Pali, Bhikkhu Vibhanga 10 Ibid. 11 Vinaya Pitaka , Cullavagga Pali.
173
developed countries. For:- e.g. it is stated that the USAs consumption of worlds resources within 40 years being equal to what mankind has consumed during the last 4000 years. What a shame? In comparison to this, the wastage and the total destruction of the world resources towards unnecessary wars 15,000 in number for last 5000 years of human history are enormous and rather alarming. Many words are not needed to stress the natural resources management which is indispensable for which is sine-qua-non if our civilization is not to perish. Worthy to quote the words of Mahatma Gandhi, there are enough resources for everyones need and not for everyones greed. Unless this simple lesson is understood and put into practice by modern man of massive scientific and technological florescence, we would be failed, and missed the chance not only for ourselves but also the posterity. Right livelihood (Samma ajiva): The ultimate objective of all human endeavor, according to Buddhism, is spiritual goal, the attainment of Nibbana. The material progress, hence, is evaluated as a means to an end. Unlike the Sangha, who supposed to cultivate the life pattern of non-grasping and non-attachment leading to emancipation in this every life, the lay community has a life of duality. Firstly, the life of material comfort and enjoyment - family, wealth, professional activity, and gratification of sense pleasures etc. Thus, it is stated that layman should be energetic, industrious, diligent and skilful. On account of economic matters they are advised to acquire wealth with effort (utthanaviriyadhigata), the sweat of one's brow (sedavakkhitta), and the height of one's arms (baha-bala-paricita). Nevertheless, it is stressed that he should do so righteously (Dhammikena dhammaladdhena/samma ajiva) (AN.III.45). Secondly, the life of spirituality leading to emancipation and freedom from dukkha.
Material development, according to Buddhism, however, is secondary or subservient to spiritual development or personal transformation. Buddhism holds the view that any attempt towards material comfort is illusory, because man, by instinctive nature, is a being who never become satisfied with what he has gained, achieved, and grasped. Therefore, Buddhism strongly believes that it is only through the cultivation of controlled mental attitude, that man can attain perfect peace in mind. For this, he has to control his needs, insatiable desires, and boundless greed etc. Hence, wealth should be acquired wisely, legally, honestly and harmlessly. The Buddhist principle of right livelihood (Samma ajiva) directed towards that end and it is advised man to avoid five types of trade; weapons, living beings (including animal trade, slavery and prostitute), butchery, poisons and intoxicants (Anguttara Nikaya, V. 177).
174

In the light of the preceding discussion, it is obvious that the Western modules of economics and related processes of development have failed remarkably throwing the whole world on an utter chaos and crisis. As a result, modern humans seem to become alienated from themselves, society, and nature at large. The message given in Buddhism is that it is only when man himself strives for change his attitudes and false impressions, the existing crisis situation will be vanished. The changing attitude may include self-control in the enjoyment of the senses, adaptation to moderate life style, awareness of the inter-dependence principle related to man and the nature etc. Hence, in brief, Buddhist economic philosophy recognizes ideological, socio-economic, and ethic-spiritual transformation of human beings as a remedy for many a crisis confronted by the modern world.
175
Buddhist Approach to the Economic Crisis
Angie Monksfield President of Buddhist Fellowship, Singapore
The current Global Economic Crisis is unprecedented in its scale and depth. The same global economy that has brought about material happiness, is now causing havoc in peoples lives around the world as it threatening to deprive the same people of the wealth they have learned to expect. When governments and companies were exploiting the resources of the world and making hollow promises of infinite material abundance that would bring more and more happiness, where were the voices of the Buddhist Leaders? Why was the great wisdom of the Dhamma muted in the halls and corridors of government offices, parliaments and company boardrooms? As Buddhist leaders, we have the responsibility to educate the world about the Law of Kamma and that social, economic and political policies motivated by greed, hatred and delusion will lead to undesirable outcomes. Buddhists have much to offer to enlighten the corporate executives, government officials and politicians about the dangers of excessive greed. Clearly, the Maddoff case was the epitome of how easy even for the super-rich who are supposedly smart people to fall for scam schemes. It was a case of blinding greed as the promise of high-returns on their investments by someone wealthy didnt cross their minds that it could be a scam. It wasnt so long ago, the flocks of Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan poured millions into dot com companies, and many of these companies could not generate a single dollar of revenue, let alone profit. It was herd mentality at work where the fools led the blind; the investment firms figured that they couldnt be wrong if the other big-name firms thought these dot com companies had viable business proposals. It was another case of greed that blinds even those who are very intelligent. Clearly, intelligence is not the same as wisdom. The Global Economic Crisis this round is collective in nature, triggered by a massive sub-prime loan scheme that collapsed in the USA. Greed was pervasive across the globe as every listed company was under tremendous pressure from the shareholders to produce high returns. Under pressure to perform, companies with excess cash were seeking high-return investment instruments. Many lost sight of the
176

fundamental rule that high return products reflect the high level of risks associated with them. The retail investors were not spared as they had joined the bandwagon in investing in high return structured products with guaranteed capital. These products were promoted as safe investment instruments by the financial advisors, whose primary aim was to meet their financial institution sales targets. Some of the financial advisors didnt understand the products themselves as the terms were too convoluted for the average person to understand. Experience has shown that if our motivation and decisions are due to greed, lust or hatred, the outcome will not be desirable. Happiness remains elusive to those whose pursuit for happiness is grounded on greed, lust, hatred and delusion. NOW is the time for lay and monastic Buddhists to speak up, educate and influence government officials to apply Dhamma wisdom when crafting policies or responding to political and social issues. This crisis is offering us an excellent opportunity to elevate our position in the world in order to expand our influence and bring about positive changes to the world that will be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. However, to speak with credibility and authority, it is important for our Buddhist leaders (monastic or lay) to ensure that our own conduct is impeccable and our involvement in our respective organizations are based on proper governance and sound management principles. Further, we are not conflicted by receiving compensation or gifts if we are in the governance role. Conflicts of interests need to be dealt with and no one should be above being questioned or challenged. A healthy check and balance system in place would help ensure that everything is conducted above board. Lacking in a proper system could potentially lead to embarrassing outcomes as we have witnessed in Singapore. Just in April this year, a trial involving a prominent monk who was a CEO of a charity cum hospital caused great amount of embarrassment to the Buddhist community when he was charged for falsifying accounts, forging for the purpose of cheating the charity and giving false information under the Charities Act. No doubt this monk had raised tens of millions of dollars to build two hospitals for the sick and aged, however, does the end justify the means? Furthermore, the major newspaper reported that he was earning a sizeable monthly salary. Being paid a salary, small or large, is not a legal issue but a moral one. Two disturbing facts were unveiled: 1. The management committee did not know how much they were paying the monk who was the chief executive. They could have asked
177
but they did not, as revealed by one of the members of the management committee who was questioned in court. This reflects a less than competent management committee. However, the people on the committee were successful CEOs and are very capable of questioning. However, because they were dealing with a monastic CEO, they just assumed that the CEO would be an honorable individual. The lesson learnt from this is that we have to take on our respective roles seriously and not let the monastic image affect our professional responsibility, assessment and judgment as layBuddhists. 2. The monk CEO was paid a princely monthly salary of $16,000. Receiving a salary or payment, let alone a large amount, is certainly not in keeping with the spiritual pursuits of a renunciant, a path that is chosen of ones own free will. The Buddha clearly laid down in the Vinaya (18th Section of the Code of Discipline for monks and nuns), that Buddhist monks (bhikkhus) and nuns (bhikkhunis) are not allowed to accept money for themselves, nor allowed to instruct someone else to safe-keep it for them (e.g. keeping a personal bank account) to spend as they like or invest in businesses, financial instruments or properties. In addition, the 19th Section of the Vinaya states that monks or nuns are not allowed to buy and sell things for themselves using money. The intent of the above rules was to set renunciants apart from the vast majority of people and thus become a constant reminder to all that a life based on materialism is not the only way to live. Through giving up money, the ability to manipulate the world and to satisfy ones worldly desires diminishes. In the Suttas (Samyutta Nikaya volume 4), it was documented that when The Buddha was specifically asked whether money was permissible for the monks and nuns, he replied: 'Whoever agrees to gold or money also agrees to the indulgence in sensual pleasures, and whoever agrees to the indulgence of sensual pleasures you may take it for certain that this is not the way of a recluse, that this is not the way of a Buddhist monk.' However, if an organization or individual wishes to appreciate a monks or nuns contribution, the honorarium or donation can be given to the monastery or organization but not the individual. As some argue that times have changed and that monastics have to adapt, we should pose the question: Is it not better to be an exemplary lay-Buddhist by
178

observing the 5 precepts of not harming, lying, stealing, consuming intoxicants and committing adultery than to be a less than exemplary monastic who is unable to adhere to the monastic code. It is timely that we, as lay-Buddhists, take stock of how we need to support our monks and nuns in order to help them stay on the spiritual path while they guide and serve the community. It is also important that monastics must not be above being questioned nor being challenged whenever they deviate from the code of discipline they have voluntarily chosen to live by. Over time monastic groups have relaxed many of the Vinaya rules and like all things, left unchecked, the relaxation may be taken a step too far, to the point where there is little difference between some monastics and lay-Buddhists. Exemplary monastics and lay-Buddhist leaders have very important roles to play to help steer economies out of the crisis. Something as simple as reminding their congregations to observe the 5-precepts will help to create the wholesome causes for a better future. Monastics living a simple undemanding life will inspire the lay-Buddhists to live simply and with less. After all, happiness does not arise from how much we own but how contented we are with what we have. Lay-Buddhist leaders look towards the monastics to offer the alternative path that was lived and taught by The Buddha. Monastics therefore have a very important role to play when they wear the robes and walk the path ahead to lead the laypractitioners. Their impeccable conduct and mental purity will propel the followers towards a life that is filled with less greed, hatred, lust and delusions. The global economic crisis is not really material but mental in nature. As long as we have a shelter over our heads, we can live with less as we can eat less, buy less and want less if we are mentally prepared to adjust. We can help others who dont have sufficient by practicing generosity and kindness. Buddhisms greatest gift to the world would be its Dhamma. This gift has to be delivered through each one of us. We need to speak up, to be a voice that will reverberate around the world. We need to be engaged at all levels of the community. We need to be true to the Dhamma (and Vinaya if we are monastics). Most importantly, we need to be exemplary!
179
Happiness: A Deeper Meaning for Economic Development
Soontaraporn Techapalokul Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Bangkok, Thailand
Introduction The pursuit of high economic growth is considered desirable in all capitalist countries because it generates and increases in the nations wealth, income, employment, and output indicators of what counts as happiness or progress. It is not surprised that everything governments of these countries can promise depends on money and more things. All governments perceive that the rising income (which resulting from high economic growth) will enable consumers to purchase more goods and services, in turn, should result in enhancing each individuals utility1 and happiness. Hence, when the economy grows and GDP2 swells, our national life revolves around cash. People are getting more and spending more. GDP has taken over the government policy and rule our lives as well as the economy for over 50 years. Although there is a massive increase in wealth of the nation, peoples life expectancy, and public health improvement, people do not become happier. Richer people even though feel happier and enjoy an unparalleled economic growth; more people suffer from abject poverty, unemployment, dejection, and crime. In sum, the majority of people have not become happier than they were. In recent decades, however, economic growth has been declined; income inequality has been rising sharply. Unemployment has surged and become a prime source of despair, poverty, crime, and mental illness. Suffering assaults on our national prosperity and then imposes severe burdens on the economy. In combating the economic recession, the government policy is aimed for creating more choices for people who feel isolated from opportunities of the country. Those opportunities, even if clarified as more investment, more projects, more jobs, more shopping, more spending, and consume more to stimulate growth of
1
Utility has been defined by various thinkers as happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction of preferences. It is referred to the total satisfaction received from consuming a good or service. Economists determine it indirectly with consumer behaviour theories by assuming that utility increases with wealth and consumers will strive to maximize their utility. 2 GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the measure of economic activity and well-being of a country for international and temporal comparisons. Still, it ignores many crucial elements of general well-being, like environment conservation, safety, life expectance, and population literacy.
180

the economy, they can be summed up in a few words: the pursuit of happiness (money). This view of good life is assumed that suffering is seemingly to be removed by economic prosperity and political change. Thus, people with ignorance are trapped in an endless cycle of the pursuit of happiness no matter how the economy is boom or bane. It is for our times to set a common ground of understanding for a deeper meaning of happiness, with a moral language in order to bring real happiness back to be with the civilization of mankind.
Economic Happiness: An Aim of Economic Man: Economics of today, the neoclassical economics (or marginalism), takes its trace from Jeremy Bentham and his theory of utilitarianism.3 Economists believe that utility was measurable and comparable among people. They calculate total utility or social happiness (or what nowadays might be called social welfare) as the sum of all individual utilities and state that human aims are to pursue pleasure (wealth) and avoid unhappiness or pain. As a result, the whole notion of welfare economics is the try to maximize total utility or social welfare by maximizing total consumption. It may be impossible to discuss economics of happiness without referring to Benthams idea of utilitarianism, the most influential doctrine in UK for a century (during the 18th 19th century). Utilitarianism is based on a notion of a man seeking for his own greatest happiness. Bentham also introduced the concept of the "natural" governance of mankind and its behavior under two sovereign masters called pleasure and pain. These two primary motives serve not only as explanations for action, but definitions of one's good: Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think... (Bentham 1970: 1). Bentham also believed that all human activity sprang from the desire to maximize pleasure. This is tantamount to an assertion that all human motivation can be reduced to the single principle of a desire to maximize one's utility. Bentham, along with other later proponents of utility theory, held that it was not the total utility of a commodity that determined its exchange value or its value, but rather its
3
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) is an English jurist and philosopher and the founder of utilitarianism. Outstanding philosophers who were his proponents: Hutcheson (1694-1746), Hume (1711-1776), Priestley (1733-1804) and James Mill (1773 1836). Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined purely by its contribution to overall utility.
181
"marginal" utility or the additional utility derived from a small, marginal increase in the commodity. From this notion was born the neoclassical tenet of marginalism. Besides, pleasures and pains can be ranked according to their value or dimension such as intensity, duration, certainty of a pleasure or a pain. Bentham was concerned with maxima and minima of pleasures and pains, and they set a precedent for the future employment of the maximization principle in the economics of the consumer, the firm and the search for an optimum in welfare economics. In sum, happiness in Benthams idea is a matter of experiencing pleasure and lack of pain. His foundation of morals and legislation can be described scientifically by measuring pleasures and pains to form laws in order to create the greatest good for the greatest number. Hence, the right action or good policy is what would cause the greatest happiness to the greatest number. This foundation is consistent in the pursuit of happiness of people. However, the second qualification of this principle was later dropped and embraced only what was called "the greatest happiness principle," which often referred to as the principle of utility. However, there is one grave objection4 to Benthams idea of utilitarianism. It voices that his utilitarianism is dehumanized because happiness is nothing more than a pleasure, and pleasure is pleasure. It is solely a sensual happiness. In other words, a humans happiness is as good as a pigs happiness. Human nature is in a degrading light because he is not capable of the higher pleasure. This causes John Stuart Mill5 step out to protect Benthams by revising and expanding his doctrine. Mill said, a beasts pleasures do not satisfy a human beings conceptions of happiness. Human beings have faculties which were more elevated than the animal appetites (Mill 1957: 11). Such higher faculties referred by Mill as the pleasure of intellect, of the feelings and imagination, and of the moral sentiments made difference in quality of pleasure. Moreover, they made humans pleasures more valuable than animals pleasures. In addition, Mill asserted that human beings were capable of the higher pleasures, and mental pleasure was superior to bodily pleasure: It is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied, than a fool satisfied (Mill 1957: 14). Although Mills idea of utilitarianism was evidenced a vigorous development in many of the right directions, with the whole was still compromised by the
In fact, there are a few more objections to the theory of utilitarianism, for instance, the principle of utility cannot provide means of deciding what if we could get a great deal of good, for a not very great number, or just a little good but for a very large number; or utility concept is dealing with the single side of happiness which is the quantity. 5 J.S. Mill (1806-1873), a profound English economist and philosopher, is Benthams student and the eldest son of James Mill, the Scottish philosopher who was a follower and friend of Bentham.
182

paradoxes of Benthams original theory. Although Mill could set apart both quality and quantity of pleasure, he confused between these two sides of pleasure. He said: It must be admitted, however, that utilitarian writers in general have placed the superiority of mental over bodily pleasures chiefly in the greater permanency, safety, uncostliness, etc., of the former - that is, in their circumstantial advantages rather than in their intrinsic nature (Mill 1957: 12). This means that Mill admits there are differences of quality in pleasures. Furthermore, mental pleasures were more valuable than bodily pleasures because of their outside advantages (not because of their intrinsic value). If there is something that is accidentally in the same greater permanency, safety, uncostliness, etc., as compassion a kind of a deeper sense of happiness, both might be equivalent in their value and also allows them both for a comparison with others. Therefore, Mill could not flee from his quantitative view of thought. Enshrined in neoclassical economics as a lifestyle, the pursuit of happiness by utility maximizing individuals through hard work in order to improve ones own status (rank and respect) has driven society and people in our day to realize that they pay a high price of unhappiness and have to suffer dissatisfaction. This is because the work and things do not go the way they want them to. Also, happiness has little in common with the view of good life. Thus, its deeper meaning than just a pleasure can only be appreciated with another robust theory to cover the deficiencies.
Buddhist Happiness: A Deeper Meaning: Happiness, a so called utility or welfare, seems something which is best pursued by what the neoclassical economics has prescribed as the good and attempted to give its meaning to life. Alone among the worlds religious teaching, Buddhism locates dukkha,6 a fundamental fact of life, at the heart of human civilization. From Buddhist point of view, higher happiness can only achieved by decreasing or overcoming all forms of desires (including hatred and ignorance) by following the Middle Way or the Noble Eight-Fold Path. These differences of the core philosophy and means are substantial. Dukkha is often translated as "suffering," although this term roughly includes such a wide range of Pali and corresponding English terms as the Buddha had put it in Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11); "Dukkha, as a noble truth, is this: Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, sickness is dukkha, death is dukkha, sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are
6
Dukkha roughly includes such corresponding terms in Paiccasamuppda as birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain or suffering, grief, and despair see P. A. Payutto (2006: 101, 574).
183
dukkha; association with the loathed is suffering, dissociation from the loved is dukkha, not to get what one wants is dukkha in short, dukkha is the five categories of clinging objects. As such, "suffering" is too narrow a translation with negative emotion," which can give the impression that the Buddhist perspective is one of pessimism. In fact, Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but realistic. Thus, dukkha hereafter is left untranslated, so as to encompass its full range of meaning. According to the Buddha, all forms of existence are of necessity subject to dukkha, born from craving or desire as the Blessed One stated in the same sutta: The origin of dukkha, as a noble truth, is this: It is the craving that produces renewal of being accompanied by enjoyment and lust, and enjoying this and that; in other words, craving for sensual desires, craving for being, craving for non-being. In relation to Abidhammattha Sangaha (Narda 1979: 16-27, 94-100), craving (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha) are three roots of ill-will. Lobha is desire, setting of pride, wrong view, and clinging or attachment to worldly pleasures of all kinds. Dosa trigger resentment, jealousy, miserliness, and anxiety. Moha is lack of clarity or delusion. It causes lack of conscience, lack of fear of the consequences, and restlessness. Moha is sometimes rendered by ignorance. All those "negative conditions" confuse and distort the mind and lead it into pursuing of such goals as sensual pleasures, possessions, honor, and power. When hindered, they lead to aggravation and suffering; and even when fulfilled, they can just turn into another source of dukkha or unhappiness, for the happiness they bring is always ephemeral. The suffering or unhappiness of people in this social world is associated with competition in business and work as well as the pursuit of happiness that includes selfishness. This results in economic injustice, widening poverty and class or racial gap. The Buddha, representing enlightenment in this competitive world and last-long warfare responds to dukkha of human beings by uprooting it from their economic tradition-bound worlds. Furthermore, the distant aim is nibbna the extinction of suffering and of its conditions. Buddhists realize that dukkha ends when craving ends, when one is freed from desire, and when one has jettisoned all the usual garbage: craving, clinging, hatred, delusion, selfishness, dissatisfaction, frustration, envy, etc. As addressed in the same sutta, the Buddha stated that Cessation of suffering (Nirodha), as a noble truth, is this: It is remainderless fading and ceasing, giving up, relinquishing, letting go and rejecting, of that same craving.
184

The first step toward this real, enduring happiness is to shrink ambition to own (self or ego) and realize fully the impermanence of ordinary happiness. The ability to control and govern worldly affairs opens up the mind gives people the greater happiness, and enlightenment. The highest form of happiness in Buddhist sense, therefore, lies in this inner freedom rather than the freedom to acquire and consume. Consequently, the Buddha laid out the path to reach the liberal state, the Middle Way between the two extremes. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus of the group five (Pacavagg) thus: "Bhikkhus, these two extremes ought not to be cultivated by one gone forth from the house-life. What are the two? There is devotion to indulgence of pleasure in the objects of sensual desire, which is inferior, low, vulgar, ignoble, and leads to no good; and there is devotion to self-torment, which is painful, ignoble and leads to no good. And what is that middle way? It is simply the noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the middle way discovered by a Perfect One, which gives vision, which gives knowledge, and which leads to peace, to direct acquaintance, to discovery, to nibbna (SN 56.11).
Accordingly, the middle way is the optimal allocation of ones effort between affecting ones desires and satisfying them by labour and income. The outcome is the balanced good life. However, the Buddha did not refute sensual happiness (smis-sukkha) or economic prosperity. Some of his teachings are very much alive to economic welfare and mundane forms of happiness such as Four Kinds of Happiness Derived from Acquiring Wealth (nayasutta: AN 2.69-70), and The Four Conditions Lead to Happiness in This Life and in Future Life (Dighajanu Sutta: AN 8.54). Although sensual happiness is vital for economic stability and prosperity and recognized as worthy goals for lay people, the Buddha praises of the highest happiness. To achieve it, is to realize the Four Noble Truths and go after the Noble Eight Fold Path. Today, a large number of people living in societies built around the endless satisfaction and stimulation of individual desires. The economic approach responds to these desires by considering the ways of satisfying them. Buddhism, however, first considers how to prevent the birth of desires that cannot be sufficiently satisfied, and suggest people to soften all desires. The mastering of ones own desires is a main difference with the theory of utilitarianism and modern economic world, where
185
desires are principally imposed on people from outside their will, and often under the influence of society.
Conclusion: To reach a happier society, the government should aim to minimize suffering or unhappiness rather than to maximize simply value of GDP or consumption. Specifically, government policy should take its clue from the Four Noble Truths. That is 1) understanding people suffering originated from the pursuit of happiness (wealth) policy, 2) suffering of a society causes by individual interest, competition, and selfishness, 3) people become happier only when reduce or conquer desires (greed), and 4) the method is to change inner attitudes of people and develop compassion to others in their hearts by following Buddhists Middle Way. In addition, the government should focus most on the experiences which enable people to value for their intrinsic worth so that they can find the positive force in themselves and see the positive side in others. Also, the government should lay down a new foundation of happiness or principle of utility for human behavior as a policy for promoting and teaching in schools and universities in every province. This will help teenagers and people of next generation to distinguish between superficial pleasures to a hedonistic addiction and real happiness so that they can finally adopt the healthier philosophy of good life as their conception of the common good. Vitally, it would inspire them in their every day lives to take more pleasure in the happiness of others. In such a way, mankind might all become less self-absorbed and happier.
186

Bibliography Bentham, J. (1970). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Darien, Connecticut: Hafner Publishing. Mill, J.S. (1957). Utilitarianism. Edited by Oskar Piest. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. Narda Mah Thera (1979). A Manual of Abhidhamma, 5th edition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Buddhist Missionary Society. Prabrahmaguabhorn (P. A. Payutto) (2006). BuddhaDhamma. Revised and extended version. 11th edition. Bangkok: Sahadhammik Co.,Ltd. B.E. 2549. Payutto, P.A. (1994). Buddhist Economics: A Middle Way for the Market Place. 2nd edition.Translated by Dhammavijaya and Bruce Evans. Bangkok: Buddhadhamma Foundation. Rahula, W. (2002). What the Buddha Taught. Revised Edition. With a Forward by Paul Demieville. Taiwan: The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation. Schmacher, E.F. (1973). Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. New York: Harper & Row.
Abbreviation: AN = Aguttarainkya SN = Samyuttanikya
187
A New Model of Buddhist Economics for Peace and Prosperity - Conceptual Framework
Dr. D. Gopalakrishna, Faculty, CBSMS, Bangalore University, India. Ven. Buddha Prakash, Buddhist and Pali University, Srilanka. M.Venkataswamy, Assoc. Professor, Alliance Business School, Bangalore, India.
Buddhist Economics stands on the principles of compassion, sharing and wisdom. The Noble Eightfold path is the driving force of Buddhist economics. The modern economic theories widens gap between the rich and poor, where as Buddhist economics, develops, maintains and balance the spiritual well-being and material well being on the principles of equity. The world Economic system is in deep crisis. It is in turmoil today. The communist Economy system collapsed in 1989 and the capitalist economy system collapsed in 2009, just twenty years later. When the communist economic system collapsed, the proponents of capitalistic economies were overjoyed and declared that their system is the only effective developmental model, which envisages economic freedom with growth. But what happened today? Millions of people, mainly in the developing world, suffer from poverty, malnutrition, hunger, ignorance, ill-health and environmental degradation. Terrorism is rampant and living has become risky exercise (J.W. Wickramasinge, 2002).
The Problem Why these systems have failed? The important reason is that it has focused more on extreme materialistic development. The emphasis is on wealth maximization, the foundation is laid on craving for more wealth accumulation based on ones self interest without regard to the other fellow beings. The modern economists are formulating theories to satisfy the human wants and desires without realizing that, if one attains what one desires, greater desires, always emerge, and the ensuring frustration at not being able to satisfy these as well as the subsequent suffering and dissatisfaction The Ego mind which is the driving force behind human greed and which in turn reinforces by greed is deeply embedded in our consciousness.
188

As a result wide spread disparities in the world are increasing. The modern economic system has not only aggravated the poverty and mal-distribution of income both at regional and global levels, but it has also made the life for millions of people miserable, and this process is still continuing. If the structure of the world economy in 1984 is examined, the skewness of the global pattern of production and consumption can be observed; 50% of the world population has a per capita national product that is less then 3% of the per capita national product of the 15% of the world population living in the industrialized western nations. Taken as a whole, 75% of the total world population lives in the developing countries, and they enjoy less than 20% of the world total product; and 15% of the world population living in the industrial countries, and enjoy 70% of the global income. Infant mortality rate in developing countries is 7 times higher than that of developed countries (Human Development Report 1998). The Gross National Product (GNP) and per capita income are not holistic indicators to compare the progress and development of nations. A developmental philosophy should be framed in terms of achieving the overall welfare of society and not just economic growth. Economic development should result in enabling people to achieve the final spiritual goal of human life. Therefore, every country in the world that wishes to increase its real wealth must necessarily focus on increasing its Gross National Character (GNC), along with its GNP. The purpose of development is to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy, and creative lives. This simple but powerful truth is too often forgotten in the pursuit of material and financial wealth (William and Debra Miller- Times of India, July, 2004).
Buddhist Solution Then where is the solution? Buddhist economics seems to be the solution to the world economics problems, which balances both materialistic life and spiritual life. Buddhist Economics- is called as a middle way of economics (Payutto, 1992). It is a part of equilibrium: in this way Buddhist approach involves understanding that economics and moral and spiritual life are neither separate nor mutually exclusive. On the one hand it has long supported commerce and profit-making, while on the other; it has always provided economics with moral compass and an ethical purpose (Shinichi Inoue, 1997). While the materialist is mainly interested in goods, the Buddhist is mainly interested in liberation, but the Buddhism is the middle way and therefore in no way antagonistic to physical well-being. It is not the wealth that stands in the way of liberation, but the attachment to wealth; not the enjoyment of pleasurable things but
189
the in craving for them. The key note of Buddhist Economics therefore is simplicity and non-violence (E.F.Schumacher, 1993). Buddha stated in a sutta that a dwichakku (two eyed person) is among ordinary people: this person uses first eye to acquire wealth and the second eye for spiritual development. In Dhammapada, hunger is considered as the most serious illness or burning fire says Buddha. It is so acute that there is no pain equal to it. Buddha dealt with basic needs of human beings. First, human happiness cannot be achieved either by spiritual uplift or material advancement alone (J W. Wickramasinge, 2002). A person should earn wealth through righteous means as stated in Vyaggapajja Sutta(Sanutta Nikiya,1). According to Buddhism the path of liberation is the noble eight fold path. It covers right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. So, right livelihood is one of the requirements of the eighth fold path (E.F. Schumacher, 1993). Buddhists should accumulate wealth without violating any of the five precepts; refrain from killing, stealing, adultery, lying and taking intoxicants (J W. Wickramasinge , 2002 ). These Buddhist principles and thoughts are practiced in some of the Buddhist countries which are discussed here under as case-studies:
Japan: Japan is the world economic leader. Many business leaders of Japan industries have incorporated Buddhist principles at their workplace. Each person in society, both consumer and worker, and Buddhists perceive work as a form of social service. Schumacher observed that, for Buddhist, work is not only the means to make a decent living (materialism) but it also allows the worker to develop spirituality by losing his self-centeredness through working with others. This perspective is reflected in the retirement policies of the Buddhist managers at such well-known companies as Kyowa Hakko Kogyo, Daiichi Kenchiku Service, Hoshino Bussan and Fuji Daisu. The employees at these companies; who are able and willing to work; do not have to adhere to retirement age recommended by the government. Unlike the prevalent attitude in the west, which sees work almost as a necessary evil and retirement as a blessing, the Buddhist approach is to view work as a form of practical social service that does not end at some randomly determined retirement age. The role of labor union: In Japan, the relations between Buddhist entrepreneurs and labor unions have been ambivalent at best. While labor unions have had a bad reputation among some in the business community because of their
190

involvement in the labor disputes, there are a few labor leaders who have conducted themselves within the spirit of Buddhist principles such leaders as: Hideo Yoshida of Komatsu Corporation (1914-89) of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo. One of the followers of Emperor Ashoka in Japan was prince Shotoku, who developed such social welfare policies as the building of pharmacies, orphanages and hospitals for the poor at the Buddhist temple of Shitenno-ji in Osaka. (Shinichi Inoue, 2002).
Thailand: Thailand is known as a country of smiles. People are generally kind, friendly and compassionate, and share the happiness with others. In Thailand, we can see signs of an emerging alternative Buddhist-based economics. Buddhist activist, Sulak Sivaraksa has advocated a new model of economic development that takes into account inner development as well as material development. He has been a fierce adversary of the western development model, when it is indiscriminately applied to and put into the use in the so called developing-world, for it has often resulted in the disruption or the breakdown of the traditional religious and community values as well as in the destruction of the environment, all in the name of economic progress. Based on Buddhist principles of non-violence and compassion, his vision is one of a more sustainable development in which, both human-beings and other living creatures can realize their economic and inner potential within the context of the society and a healthy ecosystem. Sulak Sivaraksa is currently the head of several NGOs in Thailand focusing on education and economic development and he represents a new form of engaged Buddhism a Buddhism that is engaged with social and environmental concerns. Another interesting example, also from Thailand, of a Buddhist alternative to unrestrained economic development has been the campaign to stop the destruction of the forests there. One of the leading figures in the movement is the Buddhist monk Phra Prachak. His concern with the preservation of nature and with Buddhist values has led to his innovative strategy of ordaining the largest trees in the forest as Buddhist monks. Traditionally, a Buddhist novice is ordained by having his hair shaved off and donning ocher-colored robes. Phra Prachak uses this symbolic act of initiation to ordain the trees in the rain forest as members of the religious order by tying strips of ocher-colored cloth around them. The deep respect the Thai people have for monks has led them to reflect on the importance of these trees. This rather unconventional tactic has saved numerous acres of forest and inspired similar types of resistance to the economic machine that values trees only as a potential source of monetary gain (Shinichi Inoue, 2002).
191
Bhutan: The term GNH-Gross National Happiness was first coined by Bhutans King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, when he ascended the throne in 1972. It signaled his commitment to building an economy based on the Buddhist values of right livelihood, compassion and sharing. Over the last three decades, as Bhutan slowly evolved GNH as a guiding principle, the country has expanded both its network of roads and its area under forest cover. Health and education are free and available to all Bhutanese. In order to protect its cultural strengths, Bhutan delayed introducing television and Internet till 1998. It still restricts the inflow of tourists to about 7,000 annually, to avoid crowding its tiny towns and also to prevent the merely curious from trampling over its sacred places. Of course, the picture is not perfect. While people are not going hungry, about 25 percent of them are reported to be undernourished (Rajni Bakshi, Time of India).
Myanmar: Buddhist countries have often stated that they wish to remain faithful to their heritage. The people of Myanmar see no conflict between religious values and economic progress. Spiritual health and material well-being are not enemies and are considered natural allies. The Burmese people of Myanmar have stated: We can blend successfully the religious and spiritual values of our heritage with the benefits of modern technology...; and We, [Burmese], have a sacred duty to conform both our dreams and our acts to our faith. This we shall ever do. (E.F. Schumacher, 1993)
New Buddhist Economic Model Further for more details on Buddhist economics the new model developed by Prof. J W Wicramasinghe under the title People friendly economic development is suggested for peace and prosperity of mankind in the following paragraphs:
The Basic Assumption The basic assumption in people friendly economic development model is the recognition that there are sufficient resources in the individual countries as well as the world as a whole, to meet all the needs of the people: physically, mentally and spiritually - when resources are insufficient to meet the greed (wants) of the people.
192

If any country is handicapped in any area, the surpluses in another country can make good that deficiency. Hence, the conceptual framework of the model must concentrate only on human needs but not on human wants, as is the case in the western orthodoxy.
Buddhist Economics is two-fold The objectives of people friendly economic development have to be two fold: achievement of material goals; enumerated earlier under modern development theory and the achievement of the final goal of spiritual advancement, Nirvanic bliss. These material objectives should facilitate rather than stand on the way of achievement of the final goal. Attempts to realize more mundane objectives, a proxy for Nirvana: atthi sukka, bhoga sukha, anana sukha and anavajja sukha have to be made. The realization of atti sukha, bhoga suka, anana sukha and anavajja sukha permits the achievement of those objectives.
Wealth-Devoid of attachment Atthi Sukha is the satisfaction one derives from possessing wealth. Here, possession has to be devoid of attachment or craving towards such wealth, and eternal contemplation of ways of ensuring exclusive use of such wealth for ones own satisfaction, believing that such wealth would permanently remain with oneself.
Sharing Wealth Bhoga sukha is the satisfaction derived by enjoying and donating the wealth earned righteously, i.e., sharing wealth with others. This is the crux of Buddhist economics. Buddhism does not preach that the wealth one has earned should be enjoyed only for ones own satisfaction.
Minimizing Debt Anana sukha is the satisfaction one derives by not being in debt (Practical meaning of this sukha is not that one should not get into debt at all. It is impracticable in modern society. What it means is to minimize borrowings and restrict them to absolute needs?). In the Sagnnapahla Sutta the Buddha explained how a person could borrow money and develop economically and be happy.
193
In the Sigalovalada Sutta it is stated that one gathers wealth little by little as bees collect honey. Such accumulated wealth should be divided into four parts: one portion for day-to-pay expenses, two portions for investment, and the balance to be kept as a precaution against contingences.
Morality The criterion used to test morality according to Buddhism is to examine whether ones deeds are conducive to ones harm, others harm, or harm to both; if it is so, it should not be done. The strategy suitable here is the application of the Noble Eightfold Path, of which what is more meaningful here are the development of samma kammanta (Right bodily action) and samma vaca (Right speech) which together determines samma ajiva or Right livelihood. In the Mahanidana and the Kalahavivada Suttas social suffering is analyzed from a spiritual point of view. Accordingly, because of craving search is performed, because of search something is obtained, because of obtaining something an inquiry is done. The next moral value one has to develop is generosity. In order to develop this value he has to live a live free from the taint of miserliness. He has to be openhanded, pure, delighting in self-surrender. In sum, the implementation of the people-friendly economic polices is the application of a righteous approach to economic pursuits. Righteous means that the act in which one engages will be beneficial to both the doer and the others concerned. Lack of extreme greed and attachment to wordly things and the feeling that all good things should come to me as others is the theme of theme of this approach (abhijjanna).
Conclusion The present day economic system is in turmoil. The giant economic structures have crumbled. The communist economy and capitalist economy have proved ineffective at this juncture. It is because of the self-interest, degradation of value system. Dog-eat-Dog and profit at any cost is the principle adopted by the Business houses and accumulation and amassing of more wealth by few individuals depriving others share is the root cause of the collapse of economic system in the world. The solution is the Middle Path discoursed by the Buddha. That middle path would provide the necessary positive correlation between motivation and altruism.
194

The material objective accepted by development theorists have to be modified to suit the Buddhist way of life in that what we should aspire to achieve is atthi sukha, bhoga sukha, anana sukha and anavajja sukha. The alternative system is Buddhist Economics, which develops, maintains and balances both materialistic and spiritual life on principles of compassion, sharing and equanimity.
195
References D. Gopalakrsihna, Buddhism and Contemporary Management, Buddhist Cultural Center, Sri Lanka, 2006. DV G P Malalasekara, Gems of Buddhist Meditation, Buddhist Missionary Society, Malaysia, 1996. E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful, Vintage Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V2SA-1993. J. W. Wickramasinge , The End of Economic science and The beginning of PeopleFriendly Economics(2002)- Buddhist Cultural Center, Sri Lanka. James A F Stoner., R. Edward Freeman., Daniel R. Gilbert, Jr., Management, Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd., 2000. K. Sri Dhammananda, Gems of Buddhist Wisdom, The corporate Body of the Buddhist Educational Foundation, Taiwan, 1996. K. Sri Dhammananda, The Dhammapada, Buddhist Missionary Society, Malaysia, 1988. P.A. Payutto, A Constitution for living, Buddhist Publication Society Inc., Sri Lanka, 2007. P.A. Payutto, Buddhist Economics, Buddha Dhamma Bangkok-1992. Foundation Publications,
Peter F Drucker, Managing for the Future, Oxford Boston Johannesburg Melbourne, New Delhi, Singapore, 2000. S K Chakraborthy, Human Values for Managers, Wheeler Publishing, New Delhi, 1997. Sai Bindu, Scientific Management-spiritual way, Jayalakshmi Publications, 1999. Shinichi Inoue, Putting Buddhism to work, Kodansha International Ltd, Japan,1997. Ven. Narada, Buddha & His Teachings, Buddhist Missionary Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1998.
196
An Appeal to the Worlds Religious Leaders
Most Venerable Ashin Nyanissara Stag International Buddhist Academy Sagaing Hills, Myanmar
By using his powers of omniscience, the Buddha would observe situations throughout the sensuous world six-times per day. This was one of His various daily routines which became very significant and important, because when He saw a being over-come by some sensual emotion He would analyze the situation, and then teach them accordingly. If one was obsessed and dominated by thirsty-craving or lust, Hed deliver a teaching on the practice of Samdhi (concentration) in order to tranquilize their phenomenon. If the situation was more violent like murderous, or related to powercravings, Hed preach about the practice of Mett (loving-kindness) to suppress their hatred and aversion. If situations arose between the monks, Dhamma practitioners or others, over contradictions dealing with Dhamma (truths) and Adhamma (untruths), the Buddha would provide guidance in the practice of Pa (wisdom) from which all controversies could be solved. It shouldnt matter which religion we follow; we as religious leaders ought to follow such teachings exemplified by the Buddha. We need the skills to be able to completely observe and analyze different situations that arise in this chaotic world we live in. In so doing, we religious leaders will be able to fulfill the needs of humanity; this is our responsibility. In accordance with the needs of the human community, the Dhamma must be distributed throughout the World. By sharing the Dhamma, those caught in the chaotic world of sensual delight can be lifted from their misery. In turn, we religious leaders will be highly regarded and appreciated, and our teachings will be seen as infallibly essential. The Dhamma is greatly needed in the World today for our continued existence. Today, science and technology is booming; its very essential in this world we live in. Many in the younger generations have embraced these advancements so much so that they believe only science and technology can perform for the welfare of the world. These youth are trying to escape from religion by any means possible. Since we have not fulfilled their needs and shared the Dhamma in a way which they can embrace, we have gradually been shunned and regarded as useless. Instead,
197
these youth highly regard modern scientists as world-benefactors. Ironically, some of these so-called benefactors are destroyers of the world as they are inventing weapons of mass destruction like the hydrogen bomb which was used in Japan during World War II. As religious leaders, we believe that all religions in the world should strive by their respective means to control the violence in human minds, for them to be polite, tame and mentally cultured. Rather than being shunned, we must strive for acceptance by the people of the world showing them that we are infallibly essential and unavoidably necessary for their lives. At the time of the Buddha, there was an extremely wealthy man named Ratthapala who became a devout Buddhist monk after listening to a Dhamma preaching by the Buddha. He was questioned by King Korabya as to why he had forsaken his wealth and belongings to become a monk, and on what kind of happiness he expected as a monastic. In turn, Venerable Ratthapala asked the king what he thought of monks and Dhamma practitioners; whom replied that such people had a crisis in their life either in business or personally with their family, or because of old age, poor health, or some other difficulty they entered the Order. In so doing, they could solve their problems, and look for the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing by being a religious leader, even though they did not carry out effective activities and responsibilities for the people. So you see, even in the Buddhas time, religious leaders were regarded as opportunists and useless. We must be careful not to be regarded in such a way, especially by those who are wise. Interestingly enough, Venerable Ratthapalas retort was so profound that the King confessed his criticisms were wrong and professed to take refuge in the Triple Gem: the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha for the rest of his life. The whole world is constantly trembling; its unstable, explained Venerable Ratthapala. By entering the Order one can establish stability and serenity in their life by practicing the Dhamma. The world is violently burning with the flames of greed, hatred, delusion, jealously, desire; these can be extinguished by the Dhamma. There is no possible way to manipulate or escape disease, decay and death, but they can be eased by the practice of Dhamma. People around the world boldly announce their possessions, wealth and rank; they may only get that chance for a short-time perhaps 100 years. Once they gain these things they are not satisfied with them because their desire never stops. Death may become them before the cessation of the desire. Venerable Ratthapala explained that by going in the Order that the wanting which makes you a slave of desire was
198

replaced by the Dhamma. Dhamma liberated him from the enslavement of thirstycraving. Across the globe today there is an economic crisis, we leaders see jobs being made redundant and people are faced with a variety of difficulties in order to live. There are three types of crisis: business, political and religious. They are not separate from one another; they are inter-dependent. As we observe the laity with their jobs being lost due to business and political crisis; we too, ought to particularly mindful not to become jobless in our respective religion. More than ever before, we Buddhist leaders need to increase our activities in social welfare, studying and teaching the Buddhas Dhamma, and practicing meditation. We must exercise and follow the adaptation of the Dhamma just as the Venerable Ratthapala did, so that we can escape criticism. It is our responsibility and obligation to make the trembling planet stable and serene. It is important to exclude ourselves from groups that are trying to make this world unstable and dangerous. We should collectively gather to extinguish the burning flame of desire, and to exclude ourselves from groups who make this planet burn. We must fulfil everyones spiritual needs; by doing so, the majority of people the world over will regard we religious leaders as the benefactors and protectors of mankind. This is my appeal to you the Worlds religious leaders. In this burning world, we should participate in global affairs and act as fire fighters, extinguishing the flames of defilements, sorrow and war which scorch our human planet. We should not demand anything but we should request everyone to change jealousy into joy, to replace evil with good, and to turn ignorance into knowledge and wisdom.
199
BREATHING AND SMILING IN THE HURRICANE OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
Ven. Thich Nhat Tu, D.Phil.,
IDENTIFYING THE CRISIS Many companies have recently had to stagger through trouble, or have even been bankrupted because of the plunging global stock markets. Everything had been so good, and then suddenly, many businesses were forced to close after years of operation. Many fell into the dilemma of being unable to move forward or backward. Many companies have had to be sold, unable to bear rising prices amid falling levels of consumption. Many shops have had to halt or transfer new inventory or hold clearance sales of all their merchandise under the sign going bankrupt. As a result of this severe financial crisis, many families have been overcome, unable to enjoy their lives as everyday life becomes a struggle, a conflict. Crises in society always have multiple aspects in life that bring real challenges. Running away from them or turning our backs to them is not a solution. If we ignore a crisis, it leads to indifference, and as a result of it, we solve nothing. There is only one way to solve the problem, which is to recognize the nature and roots of the crisis that we are facing. Approaching this directly will help us, step by step, to overcome difficulties and suffering.
IT IS NECESSARY TO BREATHE AND SMILE Business people live with constant controls, stresses, and pressures of work, with intense competition and the threat of elimination. The practice of lessening these tensions through "breathing and smiling" with mindfulness will help safely bring relief, without negative psychological side effects. Meditating to reflect through the art of "breathing and smiling" takes just a few minutes every day and will help you feel stronger, happier, and more excited. Try not to let yourself feel too much pressure, and then practice breathing and smiling. Your breath will be fuller, and your smile will be less strained. Summoning bear-like energy, take firm steps forward into the financial crisis and the many challenges of our times, from unfavorable exchange rates to global warming. Staying focused on the breath, breathing with a smile, and sometimes
200

pausing our thoughts and letting the mind empty are all forms of stress therapy that can help us overcome the pressures of life. Anxiety, sorrow, and fretting about the future will not only cause us to forget the beauty of life, but also to lose the opportunity of happiness we could be experiencing in the present.
BREATHING, SMILING, AND HAPPINESS It is a mistake to think that we should practice Buddhist meditation only when we are overwhelmed by life or need to relieve stress and suffering. Routinely, wherever and whenever we have the opportunity, we should practice breathing and smiling with mindfulness. Rather than lament that we did not have time to do something more important, we should consistently practice breathing to bring happiness or at least to prevent further suffering. Breath is not only the means of life but is also the source of life itself, responsible for the happiness of body and mind. When you are feeling fatigue or sorrow, lightly and deeply breathing will help you regain control of your emotions. When you are worried, deep breathing can help you manage your feelings and help bring balance to your life. First, smiling relaxes any tensions you may be experiencing. Moreover, smiling is an art which has a positive effect on others and brings about enjoyable interactions. Try imagining working among people who are without smiles the whole day, their faces always wincing, stressed, and uncomfortable. Maybe it would cause us more stress and diminish our happiness. People practicing breathing and smiling must express a motivated, dynamic attitude and act deliberately; not too fast, but not too slow. We must keep our awareness in the present, without worry. Breathing and smiling will not only help us decrease the speed of the instinctive or habitual actions that cause us to become tired but also help to restore the renewable energy source of life, keeping us full of happiness. Before going to sleep, in the morning, or in the evening, take time out. It takes as little as 5 minutes to care for yourself with relaxed breathing and smiling, and your soul will feel a sense of lightness, peace, and wellbeing. Happiness is not a lofty ideal. It is present in things that exist ordinarily and simply around us, with us and in us. Sometimes, due to a lack of mindfulness, we deny the existence of happiness, or we do not properly respect it. We must return to mindfulness. Then we realize happiness is present, like the air, and is never lost. Just as the wind was still blowing, as the pine was still rustling, spring was still flowing and a hundred rivers ran to the oceans, it has always been there. Our sense of whether
201
happiness is present or not, big or small, stems completely from the way we think, depending up whether we take care of it or destroy it. Happiness can only be sensed when our mind is full of peace. If you have a peaceful mind then you will also have a peaceful body, which will lead you to happiness. The key to happiness is to act with love and to enhance our consciousness & intuition. Many people are concerned that love will kill the spirit of intense competition, in a world where the market is the battlefield. With love, however, enterprises do not have to work to eliminate, and at in the same time they can demonstrate cooperation and sharing. Businesses should promote healthy competition, working to improve their quality and reputation, which will lead to sustainable development.
MINDFULNESS WITH EACH STEP The simple habits of daily life such as walking, standing, lying down, sitting, eating, drinking, sleeping, and talking all deserve your attention, though breathing and smiling, in order to live more fully. Practice jogging with mindfulness amid the fresh air, green grass, white clouds, enjoying the peaceful country. This will help you experience a taste of meditation at the most simple level, and will surprise you by its effectiveness. We should not walk as if in a kind of nightmare, where soul was traveling somewhere else while the body was walking. Walking without mindfulness can reduce energy, making the body tired. Practice walking with the steps of a free person, not dragging your feet or letting yourself be distracted by the future. Opening the mind, we are present in reality with every step we take, in the fullest and most meaningful way, here and now. Walking lightly, the breaths rhythm synchronizes with the walking rhythm: slow, easy, and untroubled, allowing the body and mind to exist in the present. Similarly, practicing mindfulness when standing, lying, and sitting will help us have happiness in our every action. By doing this, the full value of life will be felt in its reality. MINDFULNESS IN THINKING Do not think that happiness is only present through physical means; we must eliminate the opinion that we will not be as happy as wed like without physical things. Happiness exists when we do not let greed control our mind and attitudes.
202

Ultimately, we know how to be satisfied with what we have, following the laws of karma and not allowing greed to control us. Happiness means you have possession of what you really need and have soundness of mind. Trying to satisfy our every desire will make us always live in tension. Genuine efforts and needs will be satisfied and the enjoyment that comes from breathing and smiling will be with us in our life. Do not let emotions such as stress, anger, or boredom dwell inside and control you. These are emotions that are destructive to us & damaging to others. True deep and light breathing will help you pacify such emotions. This way of caring for yourself is very simple, but it is valuable and effective. Do not let loneliness or anxiety overcome you. By stopping to focus on breathing and smiling, your mind will become steady and be at peace. The pattern of negativity will be transformed into positive thoughts. Haunting feelings of anxiety or fear about the future will decrease as more people recognize that the real importance of life is primarily in the present.
MINDFULNESS IN ACTION While you are eating, do not let your mind be clouded by other projects, plans, money, or pain. Do not eat as fast as a rotating rice machine. Do not eat carelessly, making slurping sounds and chewing noises. Savor each dish as it is, letting your soul become immersed in its flavors. At the intersection, reaching a yellow light, stop slowly; at a red light, stop completely. Do not be impatient. Smile during the red lights, breathing comfortably. Do not bother to count the number of seconds left before the light turns green. Do not worry about traffic jams or being latelet your mind be untroubled. While you are waiting for green lights, lean back and breathe lightly, as if nothing were stopping you. Simply stop and breathe in order to relax. In summary, meditation is an art which can help us to re-create balance in life. The practice of breathing and smiling with mindfulness can help you succeed in life.
203
Go to bed, breathe and smile

Sleep is going to be happy Dreams about good things. A wonderful sleep is waiting. Wake up, breathe and smile At each minute, each second Control the mind and the breaths beat Soul and breath make a circle. The whole day, breathe and smile, We live on cheerfully Working in the pure mind Peaceful in your life. Twenty four hours, perfect Asleep, awake breathe and smile No more suffering A smile always on the face Everybody, breathe and smile Release loneliness Communities all breathing in rhythm Happiness for everybody. World, breathe and smile Space appears satisfied Breathe, smile with pure soul Peaceful everywhere. Twenty four hours, perfect Universe, breathe and smile The world smiles and breathes Happiness will come to all
204

FEELING THE LIFE WITH EACH OF YOUR STEPS
With each breath Slightly you step, with even rhythm, evenly paced With each footstep you recite the name of the Buddha Each time you speak the Buddhas name, Breathing in and out brings you peace Boundless life But life continues after death Even a lifetime of 100 years is like a cloud in the wind The border between life & death is vague Life is fragile beside the great unknown abyss We encounter ups and downs in life Each breath in the name of the Buddha brings us inner power and helps us become happy Life goes by quickly, You hear the ticking of the clock, Already 100 years have passed Lift your head to the blooming flowers The Buddha is right in your mind, waving at the flow of life and death Your mind is still, meeting lifes ups and downs, which can be simultaneous If we stay mindful, we can attain nirvana, and be released from suffering and pain
205
Modern Economics and Buddhism: Issues of Compatibility
Dr Supriya Rai K.J Somaiya Centre for Buddhist Studies, Mumbai
Modern economics is essentially a study of human behavior and the approaches taken to gratify desire. It is desire that makes humans undertake economic activity which generates surplus. They then channels this surplus into acquiring more material comfort and, in a related development, enhances ones social position and gains power. Modern economics does not place a value judgment on this behavior but merely observes it and then finds ways to catalyze and facilitate it. At a macroeconomic level, this tendency in humans is harnessed to build models that will generate maximum wealth for nations; national identity is, after all, an extension of individual identity. Over time, modern economics has used complex statistical methods and attempted to quantify mans activity as far as possible. Even those amongst us who are not trained in economics are familiar with terms such as GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and GDP per capita, trade surplus or deficit. Based on these numerical criteria, countries are ranked and this ranking leads to much discussion in the press. For the longest time, however, modern economics remained a rather blinkered science, ignoring the costs associated with the increasing spiral of demands fuelled by desire, and the frenetic economic activity that was necessary to gratify this demand increased stress in human life leading to lifestyle diseases, crime, increasing disparity between the haves and the have-nots due to the inability of millions to participate in this exercise as they were illiterate, suffered poor health, had no access to credit, or were unable to afford mobility in search of better opportunity. In addition to these social costs, there have been enormous environmental costs resulting from rapid depletion of natural resources, pollution of air, rivers and water bodies, which has affected the lives of other species on the planet in some instances, leading to threat of extinction. As Schumacher pointed out in his cult book, Small is Beautiful1 a major flaw in modern economics was the equation of success with levels of consumption. Those societies which consume more are ranked higher and they serve as models for others to emulate. The methods used by modern economists percolate down to the level of enterprises and human lives by influencing behavior and the choices that people make. He also explains how modern society seems to think that universal
1
Schumacher, E.F., Small is Beautiful: economics as if People Mattered, Harper & Row, 197, USA
206

prosperity is possible and that it will be the solution to all issues mankind faces. However, what prosperity means is not clearly defined. There is no society that has said this is enough. In which case, where to peg this level of income and consumption is one issue. The second issue is what it means for the limited resources on our planet if all mankind had to become prosperous. There does seem to be a case, he says, to look at alternative models, where large amounts of production and consumption do not necessarily spell the last word in development. If we examine the current economic crisis worldwide we can say that, very simply, it can be put down to unlimited greed. All organizations in todays world work towards one major objective, that of maximizing profit. Those organizations that anticipate market trends, build strengths in new emerging areas and constantly innovate are said to have the leading edge. There is a keenly fought battle in the marketplace for an ever larger share of the limited pie that is the amounts customers have to spend. Typically, modern business relies on advertising to create demand and a cursory look at the billboards in towns and cities will testify to the kind of pressure that citizens experience to consume an ever increasing variety of products. At the root of every ad campaign is the message that if you are not using these products you are not ok. The salesman who persuades a customer to buy something he actually does not need is lauded as having done a marvelous piece of work. The drive to produce and consume more translates into a constant push by corporate bosses to report higher figures. Practically, this is not always possible as markets get saturated. However, the need to continuously report improved performance over the previous years is a given and it can often fuel unethical choices as managers struggle to perform in an attempt to just protect their jobs. Much of this very pattern of behavior has resulted in the current economic crisis. Briefly, what happened is as follows: Housing loans had become a lucrative business proposition but like all business cycles, there came a point when it peaked and would not grow at the same rate as previous years. However, under pressure to still deliver the same kind of results as before, mortgage lenders began issuing loans to people who actually couldnt afford their mortgages. Such loans were called sub-prime and lenders were able to charge them higher interest rates to cover the risks of default and make more money in the process. If the borrowers defaulted, their houses were seized and put for sale on the market. In addition, the risk of default was covered by mortgage insurers and the loan documents were traded as mortgage-backed securities. The borrower had such favorable terms as moratoriums on payments for as long as two years. Michael Lewis, in an article on www.portfolio.com called The End of Wall
207
Streets Boom2 writes how in Bakersfield, Calif., a Mexican strawberry picker with an income of $14,000 and no English was lent every penny he needed to buy a house for $720,000. What were the internal workings in the mind of the lending officers can only be hazarded with a wild guess. In the financial marketplace it seemed as though everything was working fine and the value of the houses went up constantly. The moment of truth arrived, however, when the sub-prime borrowers needed to start repaying the loans after all the moratoria etc were over. Many of them couldnt afford the monthly installments and had to foreclose the mortgage, leading to their houses now being seized. With the increasing defaults, though, (which would have included the strawberry picker mentioned above, as he had really no means to repay a loan that was more than 50 times his annual income) there were now too many houses on the market and real estate values began to dip sharply. The pressure to sell continued relentlessly as subprime loan defaults kept piling up and the entire real estate market went into a tailspin. This development led to a crisis at the banks. Further, mortgage-backed securities, which were the debt instruments which had been traded, became more risky and worthless causing investment firms like Lehman Brothers to suffer. Moreover, insurers like AIG who insured these bad mortgages also got in trouble. These were financial institutions of great standing, with offices worldwide. Their bankruptcy meant job losses and the impact of this was felt on the stock markets in the US, with a cascading effect worldwide. Today, we are looking at a crisis that may turn out to be more severe than the Great Depression. If we have to examine these events from the Buddhist perspective, the immediate impression would be that the teachings are in no way compatible with modern economic practices. The incompatibility becomes manifest at the basic level, when we consider that the driving engine for economic activity is desire and greed; the objective is to produce more and consume more. This is in direct conflict with the Buddhist perspective where tah is a defilement that needs to be eradicated from the root. Yet, this can only be a superficial impression. Man needs to engage in economic activity, and has had to do so for millennia, if he has to survive as he does not have the ability to produce all the things that he needs. He must till his land and tend to his animals, weave fabric, or train to be a soldier or an artisan and must engage in some occupation in a profitable manner as only then does he have surplus with which he can get all the other things that are necessary for leading life.
Conde Nast Portfolio.com, December 2008 issue, http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/nationalnews/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom?page=2#page=2

208

In the process, he consumes goods - consumption is, therefore, quite essential to life itself. In the Vyagghapajja Sutta3 we find that the Buddha gives extremely practical advice to the merchant so that he may be happy in this life. He counsels him to exercise initiative in cultivating his skills so that he is able to carry out his tasks well. The Buddha also asks him to be vigilant and guard his hard earned wealth so that it is not seized by kings, thieves or harmful heirs. In addition, he actively seeks the companionship of virtuous friends, kalynamitta, and he lives a balanced life neither beyond his means nor as a penny pincher. Later in the Sutta when the Buddha gives advice for happiness that endures beyond this lifetime for a layperson, he mentions four qualities: faith in the Tathagata, leading a virtuous life, generosity and the ability to discern the arising and fading away of phenomena. It is obvious that the Buddha speaks of practicing a spiritual life for enduring happiness but he does not deny the laypersons need to a livelihood and to the protection of his resources. It would seem, therefore, that there is room within the Buddhist framework for man to lead an economically productive life and amass wealth by legitimate means. An important distinction is made, however, between consumption as defined by economics and that which is perfectly acceptable in a Buddhist perspective. This distinction has been highlighted by Ven. Payutto in his Buddhist Economics: A Middle Way for the Marketplace. He distinguishes two kinds of desire chanda and tah. While the former relates to desire for a product that is essential for mans wellbeing, tah is that desire which is driven by vanity and pertains to gratification of the senses. And it is at this level that Buddhism is truly at odds with modern economics, because modern economics makes no such distinction. A society in pursuit of unbridled, tah-driven consumption is lauded as a successful society. In such societies there are vast choices available in all items of consumption and happiness is construed as belonging to those who have access to luxury cars, all varieties of food, clothes, liquor, and holidays in exotic locations etc. This approach strips the consumer of any social responsibility. He is only concerned with consuming and enjoying the goods; he bears no responsibility for how and where it was made, by whom and under what conditions. It is only because of activist groups that large companies like Nike, for example, were forced to review the conditions in which some of their suppliers were working. It is the environmentally active groups that forced governments to legislate emissions from cars, created awareness of the harmful effects of pesticides and fertilizers, of the unhealthy patterns of eating created by processed food etc. From the Buddhist perspective, therefore, we would certainly call for more moderation in production and consumption; production in tune with human needs and
3
A iv 281
209
not the current model which on the one hand seeks to gratify desires, which are limitless, and on the other hand, perpetuates itself by promotion and advertising which fuel further desire. It is important to point out here that Buddhism does not look upon poverty as a virtue. In the Dhammapada we have the story of the Buddha waiting for a peasant to join the group of Brahmins who have gathered to hear him teach. It is actually he who the Buddha wants to teach, as he is ripe for deeper insight. The peasant is held up looking for a lost ox and when he finally turns up he is tired and hungry. The Buddha first makes him eat alms food which had been surplus that day and then begins his teaching with Hunger is the greatest illness4. In fact, in the Cakkavatti-Sihanda Sutta we are told of a lineage of kings who are great compassionate rulers, ruling in accordance with the Dhamma. Each one ensures he teaches his son how to do so. One son fails, however, on one count he does not give to the needy. As a result, poverty increases and so does theft. When a thief is brought before him, the king discovers he stole as he was poor. So he gives him gifts of goods with which to support himself and his family and do right things like donate to the ascetics and the Brahmins. This inspires other poor people to steal and the king decides to make an example of the next thief that is caught and beheads him. This leads to the poor taking up arms so that they now not just rob, they kill as then there would be no witnesses. This Sutta has a very important lesson for modern governments. Across the world, we know that it has been the repression and deprivation of one section of society vis--vis another that has led to conflicts. Buddhism has looked upon generosity, dana, as a very high virtue. This is best reflected in the case of Anathapindika, who spares no effort to support the Sangha. Emperor Asoka built roads, shelters, and wells for the benefit of his citizens. The emphasis was therefore on using the surplus that one had generated for the common good. It was also important to know how this income had been generated as Right Livelihood is an important aspect of Sila, morality, in Noble Eightfold Path. In the modern context, this can be extended to cover many more activities than were envisaged in the texts. And many Buddhists do exercise vigilance, for example when investing in companies. If the companies are engaged in trading in arms or tobacco and other harmful products, if they use animal products etc., then mindful-investors could be staying away even though the stock may be lucrative. They would invest in companies that are sensitive to the environment and responsive to the needs of the communities in which they operate. Thich Nhat Hanh has addressed social and environmental responsibility in an article titled Looking Deeply at the Nutriments in the collection of essays called
Narada Thera, tr. The Dhammapada, 203, John Murray, London, 1954.
210

Mindfulness in the Marketplace: Compassionate Responses to Consumerism.5 He speaks of how meat consumption leads to increasing lost of forest cover as large areas are cleared for farms, how water (2500 gallons per pound of meat vs. 25 gallons for a pound of wheat) is consumed at alarming rates and the pollution of water bodies by large amounts of excrement from these farms. Thus, even for those who may not subscribe to the idea of a vegetarian diet on grounds of compassion for all living beings, the sheer ecological costs of such habits should convince them to refrain. Thich Nhat Hanh counsels that we must learn to look deeply at all our practices and see how our behavior affects our environment. One outcome of looking deeply is the realization of the interdependent nature of all phenomena. On the ecological front, the efforts of Mr. Al Gore in creating awareness on global warming have been exemplary. There have also been numerous organizations, the pioneering one being Greenpeace, which persistently opposes the business-practices that have harmed our environment. On the issue of modern economic practices, however, the picture is very complex. To bring to bear the Buddhist perspective, no matter how sensible, rational and onward leading it may be, is a challenge. This is because western society in particular has built complex edifices in terms of institutions and instruments of fiscal and financial regulation that are all geared towards the very model which has brought about the current crisis. In effect, it would mean a virtual dismantling of present systems and putting something quite contrarian in place, which would be nothing short of a revolution! It is hard to imagine wealthy nations even considering models that seek to curtail the incredible number of products on sale in their markets and that work within a framework where consumers and producers say this is enough. Yet, Mr. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Laureate banker from Bangladesh, has spoken in an interview on the web that this crisis actually does present an opportunity to dismantle present systems and put new ones in place, as we have repeatedly been brought to our knees by failures of present market systems. Practically speaking, however, this does some easier said than done, as it requires enormous levels of a kind of political commitment which most governments would shy away from. So should we then just conclude that from the Buddhist perspective there are many things wrong in the manner in which we go about our economic activity but there can be no solution? That all we can do is to offer our informed and considered opinion in an academic forum? It is my humble view that there is a window of opportunity we have. Schumachers book had been path-breaking work in the seventies, leading to a lot of public debate. Yet, we seem to have forgotten some of
Alan Hunt Badiner, ed. Mindfulness in the Marketplace: Compassionate Responses to Consumerism, Parallax Press, 2002.
211
the critical issues he spoke about. He has a chapter on Buddhist Economics6 where he makes the distinction between modern economics and Buddhist economics as follows: (The modern economist) is used to measuring the standard of living by the amount of annual consumption, assuming all the time that a man who consumes more is better off than a man who consumes less. A Buddhist economist would consider this approach excessively irrational: since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption.7 Going back to the Buddhas teachings, we realize that society changes when the individual changes. In this case, we need to examine our own lives and see how we can consume less and consume mindfully. Each one of us serves as an example within our communities and we can catalyze small changes in the societies we live in. It is not just a case of economics that we would be addressing it is a question of ethical life on this planet. How can we justify the spiraling demands fuelled by modern corporations as they pursue ever higher profit? How many of the products that we are persuaded to buy do we really need? In a world that is now very closely linked by information technology, we all have the means to inform ourselves about products and services that we consume. We can no longer hide behind lack of information and ignorance. As we make ethical and skilful choices, we will influence our communities in doing likewise. Taking it forward, the current crisis and its causes must be presented in universities for debate amongst the young. It is no secret that it is really they who have the spirit and the zest to take such challenges head on. Most of us are at an age where we are content to attend very intelligent seminars and conferences and publish papers. It is the youngsters who will be buffeted around in todays economic crisis. They have been led to believe that the lifestyle of the rich and the famous is what they must aspire to. They are trained to become executives in those very corporations that we discussed earlier, where success and upward mobility is possible only for those who persistently report improving performance, no matter what the market conditions. The youth must be engaged in debate on the sustainability of this model and sensitized to the hidden costs of the stressful lifestyles involved. By using principles of Buddhist philosophy, they can be made aware of the horrors of the present crisis the worldwide repercussions, the loss of jobs and security, the fear and loss of self-esteem faced by hundreds of thousands who have been handed the proverbial pink-slip.
6
Schumacher, E.F., Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Harper & Row, 197, USA. Pp 53-62 7 Ibid. p. 57.
212

The third possibility is presented by concerned Buddhist groups partnering with like-minded NGOs who operate at the grass-root level on issues such as equitable development and preservation of the environment. Many of them may not have any Buddhist leanings but if their objectives conform to Buddhist principles, there is no reason why collaboration should not be possible. We need to co-operate and build communities that live ethically, in tune with the environment, with a conscious effort at encouraging less consumption. By our own living examples, we can create awareness that human well-being and happiness is a function of the mind and is not contingent upon possessions or upon inordinate levels consumption.
213
The Construction and Promotion of Buddhist Sufficient Economy
Dr. Shengkai Lecturer, Department of Philosophy Nanjing University
Introduction: Facing any financial crisis, the whole world constantly reflects. In this paper, the construction and promotion of Buddhist sufficient economy is proposed to cope with todays world popular greed economy. Based on the original Buddhism and Chinese Buddhist Dhyana, occupation is not only emphasized as a means of livelihood, but also a personal obligation and social responsibility, as well as even religious significance in Buddhist cultivation path. So the Buddhist occupational ethics embody the necessity, profit and ultimate meaning. In sufficient economy, thrift, content, generosity and a specific distribution of wealth reflect Buddhist wisdom and particular religious significance on the wealth problem.
From Greed Economy to Sufficient Economy- Restructuring of Buddhist Economic Ethic: Facing the financial crisis, the whole world is in reflection. America, in the summery of Obamas inauguration speech, said: This comes from some peoples greed and irresponsibility. Therefore, the financial crisis, after all, is a problem of economic ethic in worldwide business circles, and an inevitable result of humans greed, anger and ignorance. The economic ethical problem is a modern problem, and a contradiction movement exists between religion and economy, two major forces constituting human history and civilization. The modern basis of economic ethic is human and a rational value pursuit by human behavior.1 Market economy, as a creative fruit of human economic behavior, must be built and operated on an inherent moral value basis, or, it must be supported by morality. American religious socialist Peter Berger in his book, The Sacred CanopyElements of a Sociological Theory of Religion, suggests religion is always the most popular and most effective rationalization tool in history, by reason that religion has so effectively testified rational reality because it links the unstable real structure of
1
Fan Hao, The Value Ecology of Ethical Spirit, Chinese Social Science Press 2001 Version 1, p235.
214

experience society with ultimate reality. The root of weak reality in social world is sacred reality, and the later in definition exceeds the contingency of human significance and human activity.2 Therefore, religion plays its special role in demonstration of moral rationality in market economy. It is illustrated by Max Webers explanation on the relationship between protestant ethic and capitalist development. Meanwhile, Germany economic ethicist Koslowski in his book, Prinzipien der Ethisch, proposed an interesting idea: Ethics are adjustments and remedies to market malfunctions, and religions are adjustments and remedies to ethical malfunctions. In case of economic malfunction, ethics appear, in case of ethical malfunction, religions appear. 3 We seem to be able to find correlations among economy-ethics-religion, which offers nice comments for our study and promoting Buddhist economic ethic. For a long time, Chinese intellectuals have regarded highly the Buddhist idea of transcendence, but lack concern to Buddhist downward penetration level, so that they misconceive Buddhism as an unworldly religion. Especially in Buddhas time, the Buddha thought deeply when touched by life conditions, with his lofty moral realm and profound wisdom, to solve all confusions of sentient beings in worldly and monastic life. Therefore, in modern times, human Buddhism and mundane Buddhism should be expressed as return to original, and the Buddhist engagement spirit should be promoted with great effort. However, the popularization of Buddhism is always progressed in two paths, the upward renouncement tradition and downward engagement spirit, both necessary to Buddhism. Meanwhile, we must note the Buddhist ethical hierarchy, i.e., Buddhists at different levels should adhere to different precepts. From ancient times to the present, the Sangha disciplines are the focus of attention, yet the laitys precepts are little care. From the development of Buddhism, the Sangha and the laity have been playing respectively different roles, which are irreplaceable to each other. Moreover, the Buddhas requirement to the laity means a downward engagement spirit. In Mahayana, such spirit has gradually been elevating and becoming a bodhisattva spirit of engagement is renouncement. Therefore, Buddhist economic ethic should focus on the social public economic life, i.e., to reflect the application of Buddhist wisdom and morality in
[US] Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy- Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion, translated by Gao Shining, Shanghai Peoples Publishing House, 1991, Version 1, p41. 3 Peter Koslowski, Prinzipien der Ethischen konomie, translated by Sun Yu, Chinese Social Science Press, 1997 Version 1, p.33.
215
economic realm based on the laitys precepts. The monastic economy has its own particularities which should be discussed additionally.
II The occupational ethic in Buddhist sufficient economy: Weber once praised highly the protestant ethic, believing the notion of "vocation" edifies a "labor spirit". Weber said: More important, in a worldly occupation, one has to do utmost, unremitting and in an orderly manner in work, thus a religion idea as the highest means of asceticism, and as the most reliable and remarkable evidence of cherishing life and sincere faith, definitely has been exerting immense leverage to the expansion of the life attitude so-called capitalist spirit.4 Thus vocation conception provides reasonable explanation to profitable behaviors in economic activities, and cultivates the Protestants professional dedication spirit of honesty and trust, cautiousness and conscientiousness, and loyal to duty. It concurrently combines worldly activities with Gods grace, endowing worldly life with religious sacred meaning. In market economy, the family or quasi-family ethical entity model in Chinese traditional society has lost its supreme and general meaning, while vocational ethic has composed the important basis of modern social ethics. Human is the principal of production as well as economy. In economic activities, profit impulsion is the basic impulsion of human. How to cope with such profit impulse directly depends on peoples ethical value judgment on economic impulse. Such ethical value judgment involves three rational factors, the legitimacy, necessity and rationality of profit. The legitimacy of profit enables human economic impulse to gain moral approval in order to liberate morally human economic impulse and make possible the principals energy release. The necessity of profit from another meaning digs up economic impulsion, only if occupational activities and profit become a necessity of human life may the principal have the enthusiasm engaged in economic activity. Germany ethicist Friedrich Paulsen, in A System of Ethics, pointed out vocation also has its purpose necessity, strongly against rich and poor jobless. Paulsen said: Nature creates human not only for enjoyment, but also for work and gainHardships and happiness are always related, which is an old natural law, without the former we cant gain the latter.5
[German] Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, translated by Yu Xiao, Chen Weigang, The Joint Publishing Company, Ltd. 1996 Version 2, p.135. 5 [German] Friedrich Paulsen, A System of Ethics, translated by He Huaihong, Liao Shenbai, Chinese Social Science Press, 1988, Version 1, p. 456.
216

Therefore, we think Buddhist occupational ethic should have a threefold meaning: necessity, profit and ultimate meaning. Firstly, occupation itself has inherent meaning, whoever fabulously rich or poorly off, occupation is necessity of self realization, rather than care for the consequences of occupation; secondly, occupation has a profit meaning, regarding the consequences of occupation, of course, it involves legitimacy, necessity and rationality; next, as to Buddhist, occupation has a religious ultimate meaning. Therefore, E.F. Schumacher said: From the viewpoint of Buddhism, occupation plays at least three functions: an opportunity to exert and develop abilities; to conquer ones egoism through work with others; and to provide goods and services to people in order to survive. 6 This quite accords with the threefold meaning as we said. Buddhism calls the proper occupational ethic as right livelihood, which is classified into the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering, the eightfold path. Paulsen pointed out occupation has a purpose necessity, thinking the reason for work is not merely for self, but also the whole society, with a social responsibility. It is because people who refuse to work someway live by others sacrifice. Therefore, in Buddhism, the necessity of occupation lies in its meaning of self realization and its function to benefit all beings. Meanwhile, to benefit all beings should not be an external pressure but a natural responsibility and obligation. Since all beings include not only other beings but also myself. Bodhisattvas benefit all beings not only as personal obligation but also as social responsibility. Therefore occupation has significance of its inherent meaning. Meanwhile, the occupational affectivity is profit, yet traditional misunderstandings arise from the Buddhist objections. In Buddhist economic ethics, profit should have its necessity, legitimacy and rationality. The necessity of profit lies in acquiring wealth and breaking out of poverty. In Pali Canons Dighanikayo Cakkavattisuttam (D.26.), it is said poverty is the source of all unjustness and sins. Bhikkhus, the poor are not offered by money and valuables so the poor increase, the poor increase so thefts increase, thefts increase so weapons increase, weapons increase so murders increase, murders increase so lies increase, and lies increase so sentient beings have shorter life and worse looks. 7
E.F. Schumacher, Buddhist Economics, [USA] Herman E. Daly, Kenneth N. Townsend edited, Valuing the Earth, translated by Ma Jie, Commercial Press, 2001, Version 1, p.199. 7 Chinese Translation of the Pali Tipitaka- Dignikaya- III, Taiwan Yuanheng Miaolin Press, 1995, Version 1, p. 64-65. The same part refers to Madhyama-agama, No.15, Cakkavatti, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol 1, p.522 below.
217
Thefts, lies, violence, hatred and cruelty all arise out of poverty. We have to improve economics in order to eliminate poverty, so in Dighanikayo Kutadantasuttam (D.5.), the Buddha said: King! Give seeds and food to the people diligent in agriculture and animal husbandry; give money to the people diligent in business; give food and salary to the people diligent in official duty. These people are devoted to occupations and never harm the kings land, so the king will accumulate large amounts of money and valuables. The peaceful land is far from disasters, all is happy, holding a child cheerfully. People live peacefully and doors neednt be locked. 8 In this sutra, the Buddha pointed out in order to improve a nations social and economic conditions, farmers and merchants should be given necessary grace to manage well agriculture and business, and laborers should be paid proper salary. Thus, they have enough living expenses, when economy is secured, crimes will reduce, and peace and harmony will come. Meanwhile, profit should have legitimacy and a moral approval. Actually, the Buddha has recognized all happiness in economies and reasonable consumptions. In the Anguttaranikaya II& IV, 2, Pattakammasuttam, the Buddha said: Elderly! Such four kinds of happiness will be experienced by the laity, given the opportunity. Whatre the four kinds of happiness? Namely: possession happiness, enjoyment happiness, no-debt happiness and innocent-happiness. Elderly! Whats possession happiness! Elderly, all worlds of good men who acquire wealth legally by diligence, effort, sweat, arm strength and virtue, think I have legal wealthacquired legally, thinking this, taste joy and happiness. Elderly! This is called possession happiness. 9 The Buddha told Anathapindika the laity should enjoy four kinds of happiness, the first is possession happiness, namely, happiness of assured economy, one possesses enough wealth by effort and neednt engage in an illegal occupation; the second is enjoyment happiness, happiness of spending cautiously the legal
8
Chinese Translation of the Pali Tipitaka- Dignikaya- I, p.150. The same part refers to Dirgha-agama No. 15 Kutadantasuttam: Give clothes and food to the closed, give money and valuables to the merchants, give cattle and seeds to the farmer. Everyone makes a living respectively and doesnt invade or annoy each other. They bring up children and grandchildren and enjoy a happy life together. Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.1, p.98 below. 9 Chinese Translation of the Pali Tipitaka- Dignikaya-II &IV, p.116-117.
218

wealth; the third is no-debt happiness, pleasant thoughts, thinking: I have no debt to anyone; the fourth is innocent-happiness, one has pleasant thoughts such as: I am happy because Im innocent of any negligent act of body, speech and mind. Although the Buddha recognized the necessity and legitimacy of profit, he also stressed the rationality of profit. So-called rationality should stress on rational way of making profit which is harmless to personal life and social life of all beings. Profit should bring real happiness to individual and society, and promote unity and proper people relations. Improper livelihood brings misfortune, disharmony and trouble to the whole society. Surely, here a problem of standard of rationality involves. It is because Buddhist ethic has its own particularities, emphasizing the Buddhist occupation must not violate national laws, and be not against any spirit or precept of Buddhism. In Dhammapadam, it is said: Neither for ones own, nor anothers sake, should one desire a son, or wealth, or state, nor wish ones own success by means unjust: with virtue and wisdom righteous one would be.10 Because some occupations are not prohibited by national laws, but they are improper according to the Buddhas dharma, that is, to make a living by killing, stealing, adultery, lying and taking intoxicants. It doesnt mean Buddhism is narrow minded, but the Buddha really understand, sympathize and care for human tender heart, hoping Buddhists not to decline their moral standard due to occupation. Therefore Buddhism has strict definition on Buddhist occupations, in The Buddhist View of Wealth, Master Yinshun listed some illegal occupations: slaughtering, fishing and hunting, employed killer and killing tool maker that are related to killing; thief, brigand, or bawdy-house runner, pornographic picture and philter seller, or cheater, liar, and alcoholic beverage producer or bar-owner that relates to stealing, adultery, lying and taking intoxicants.11 Therefore occupation not only is an economic relation but also creates a certain ethical relationship. E.F. Schumacher said: The Materialist is mainly interested in goods, while the Buddhist Economist is mainly interest in human liberation. But Buddhism is moderate, never object to material abundance. Wealth itself doesnt mean liberation, but the attachment to wealth means liberation; human liberation doesnt mean enjoying nihilism, but a course in pursuit of realization.12 Buddhism emphasizes such an occupation plays a role in realizing human reality and ideality. Therefore Buddhism is quiet against to human materialization or mechanization, but stresses on human quality, dignity and liberty. In Digha-agama,
10 Dhammapadam, Panditavaggo, translated by Ye Jun, The Buddhist Association of China, 1984, Version 2, p.19. 11 Yinshun, Buddha in the Human World, The Wonderful-cloud Collection Second Part II, Taibei Zhengwen Press, 1989, Version12, p.252. 12 E.F. Schumacher, Buddhist Economics, [USA] Herman E. Daly, Kenneth N. Townsend edited, Valuing the Earth, p. 201-202.
219
No.11, Singalovada, the handling methods for superior-subordinate relationship in work is specified: The Master should teach servant boys five things, whatre the five? The first is to serve according to ability, the second to have meals at any time, the third to serve at any time, the fourth to take medicine in sickness, the fifth to have a holiday. Singalovada! It is called to teach servant boys five things. The servant boys shall serve the Master of five things. Whatre the five? The first is to get up early, the second to serve carefully, the third not to take anything not given, the fourth to serve in an orderly manner, the fifth to compliment the Masters name.13 The Boss should arrange an employee tasks according to his ability, give him a proper salary, provide medical care, and give a prize at all times. The employee should be diligent, honest and obedient, not mislead the boss, particularly, be loyal to job. A lay Buddhist should make a living and raise his wives and children by proper means and legal behavior, which is a moral obligation of observing the five precepts. Really, true happiness comes from quiet and peaceful life. But obviously E.F. Schumacher thought without a certain material and economic guarantee, moral and spiritual progress could not be achieved. In Dhammapada, it is said: Hunger is the greatest disease, the greatest dukkha-conditioned things, knowing this as it really is- Nibbna is the bliss supreme. 14 Although the Buddha didnt explain how important the material progress is, he stressed material is the basis for human spiritual progress. Meanwhile, right livelihood with adherence to the five precepts plays a religious ultimate meaning. In Buddhist precepts, strictly upholding of five precepts is the root of all precepts, and a basis of all kinds of no-outflow merits and virtues and sacred attainments. In The Sutra on Upasaka Precepts, it is said: Precepts are the root of all good dharma, anyone who accomplished these precepts would attain Sotpattiphala, even Anagamin.15 In The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom, it is said people who uphold the precepts are often respected and supported by common people, happy and regretless, never lack food and clothing, after death, theyll ascend to the celestial, and attain the Buddhas path in the future. People who uphold precepts will get everything, but who break the precepts will lose everything.
16
13 14
Dirgha-agama No.11, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol 1 p.72 above. Dhammapada, Sukhavagga, translated by Ye Jun, p.44. 15 The Sutra on Upasaka Precepts, Vol III, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol 24 p. 1049 above. 16 The Treat Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom Vol XIII, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol 25 p.154 above.
220

Especially, Chinese dhyana sect inner transcending path, links the life of this world with liberation beyond this world, e.g., in the Dunhuang-versioned Platform Sutra, it is said: All good and wise friends, you can practice at home, rather than in a temple. Stay in a temple and never practice is like the westerner with bad heart. Stay at home and practice is like the easterner practicing goodness, practicing purity of mind is the pure landDharma arises mundane originally, involving mundane and supramundane, so never get away from mundane to seek supramundane. 17 Although practice is supramundane, it never departs from secular society. The dhyana patriarchs elevated the life of this world to the religious ultimate meaning: without experience of this world, one will never go to the other shore. Especially, Baizhang Huaihai proposed a slogan of a day no work, a day no eating, taking daily work as practicing means in which Buddhist practice is completely melted and embodied in daily life and labor.18 Mr. Yu Yingshi thought it made no difference to the western protestant grandmasters because Protestant also believes do ones duty inner worldly is the only way to transcend this world in the end. However, the spirit of inner-worldly asceticism is more positive than Calvins idea of vocation. Therefore, the occupational ethic of right livelihood enables one to strengthen self economic and social status through hard work, for fear to become a burden of self and other people. Its significance is not only as means of livelihood, with personal obligation and social responsibility, but more religious meaning of Buddhist practice. Therefore, Buddhist occupational ethic embodies necessity, profit and ultimate meaning of occupation.
III. Consumer ethic of Buddhist sufficient economy: Consumption pulls the market, high consumption promotes high growth are common slogans in modern social and economic realms. However, when high consumption have been creating a lot of social and ethical problems as well as causing unsustainable momentum of economic development, the importance of such consuming ethic becomes prominent. Consumption itself doesnt compose the content of ethic, and only consumer attitude and consumption pattern become the target of ethical appraisal. Since ancient times, people have roughly three kinds of
17
Yang Cengwen proofread and wrote, Dunhuang New-versioned Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Shanghai Classics Press, 1993 Version 1, p.42-44. 18 About the background and inner spirit of this change, please refer to my paper, Chinese Buddhism, On Chinese Buddhist Change of Attitude to Production, The Voice of Dharma, 2000 Issue 8.
221
ethical appraisal to the consumer behavior ethic: lavishness, frugality and miserliness. 19 Although Weber argued protestant secular asceticism would affect the Puritans moderate and rational allocation of wealth, however as Daniel Bell tried to reveal, along with capitalist development, religious impulse has been gradually dissipating, and its constraint to economic impulse has been gradually weakening, concurrently, economic impulse has been gradually losing rationality due to lack of support by moral force. Therefore, rational consumption needs a certain moral restraint, and moderation is always the most important dharma of consumer ethic spirit. The final goal of Buddhism seeks spiritual liberation, and material is merely precondition to satisfy human survival, not the final goal, so Buddhist believers are prohibited in pursuit of material enjoyment. All life on earth, their bodily faculties touch the external world, causing various feelings, they have desires for pursuit and possession of favorite, and it is greed. Actually, lavishness and miserliness both are different manifestations of greed, as the lavisher expand their desires for pursuit, while the miser expand their desires for possession. According to Paulsen, in these two kinds of badness, miser is more ugly, while lavisher more dangerous. 20 He thought miserliness is a sign of humble nature that stifles human soul, dispels all noble inclinations or interest; finally, one may feel jealous and niggardly to all nice things of self and others. Lavishers always regard themselves as liberal and they are admired by those people benefit from their lavishness. Paulsen also thought though miserliness is humble, the consequences of which are not completely harmful. On the other hand, the consequences of lavishness are totally destructive to the individual and social life. The first consequence of lavishness is a loss of means obtaining necessities of life, and later obliged to adopt strict thrift in an unfavorable condition. 21 In Singalovada, The Buddha mentioned six behaviors causing loss of wealth: to indulge in alcohol, gambling, profligacy, and performance and music, to make bad friends, to be lazy and negligent. 22 Buddhist consumer ethics have universality and individuality, Buddhism not only resists miserliness and lavishness, but also advocates thrift, content, generosity, more provides specific methods for Buddhist handling of wealth. In Buddhism, wealth comes from good karma by generosity, so it must be cherished, namely, thrift. Thrift involves not only money, but also cherishing time,
19 20
Fan Hao, The Value Ecology of Ethical Spirit, p.288 [] 460 21 [German] Friedrich Paulsen, A System of Ethics, translated by He Huaihong, Liao Shenbai, p.461. 22 Dirgha-agama, No. XI, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.1, p. 70 mid & below.
222

never abuse of feeling, and restraining material desires, all leads to possession of wealth. In Singalovada, it is said: wealth is accumulated from little, like honey gathered among flowers, treasures are increased day by day, yet never lost.23 In order to accumulate huge wealth, one has to cultivate a habit of saving daily, capable of accumulating any income little by little, like bees diligently gathering honey among flowers, conserving in dribs and drabs. Meanwhile, Buddhism proposed enough as good as a feast to restrain peoples greed to consumption. In The Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, it is said: In order to break away from sufferings, one should observe content. The dharma of content is a basis of richness, happiness and peace. One who is content feels happy and peaceful even sleeping on the ground. One who is discontent will never feel satisfied even in heaven. One who is discontent is rich but feels poor; one who is content is poor but feels rich. One who is discontent is always dragged by five desires, a pity in the eye of the content. Thus, namely: contentment. 24 Content means never feel short of any acquisition or regret, never regret is the root of keeping the path. Secular sins and life disasters arise from an insatiate mind. According to Buddhism, the greatest happiness of life does not lie in how much we acquire, but how we cherish the things we do have. Content is No. 1 fortune. People who are content and grateful are the richest in the world. Buddhism not only resists miserliness but also advocates generosity. Generosity arises from compassion and benevolence to others, as well as a social responsibility and duty. In Ekottara-agama No. 27 Evil Gathering Chapter, it is said: Again, there are five acts of generosity leading to great blessings. What are the five? The first is to create a park, the second a grove, the third a bridge, the fourth a vessel, and the fifth a dwelling for those who pass by in the future. That is the five to give monks great blessings. Then World Honored One chanted a hymn: People build gardens and temples to offer quiet and cool, build bridges for people across rivers, and build good dwellings. They are blessed day and night, and theyll attain morality and concentration achievements and surely be reborn celestial. 25
23 24
Dirgha-agama, No. XI, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.1, p. 72 mid. The Sutra of the Buddhas Bequeathed Teaching. Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures Vol. 12, p.1111 below. 25 Ekottara-agama, No.27, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.2, p.699 above.
223
Generosity such consumption is a public welfare support and care for others, which may include to individual donation and non profit individual investment 26, such as create parks, groves, bridges and roads. However generosity should represent benevolence and wisdom, with principle of never worry yourself and others; meanwhile, pay attention to the receiver. Paulsen called care for others happiness as love of friend and neighbor, and pointed out the rule: this rule is right provided that you never neglect your personal problem, or violate the special duty arising from the special relation between you and other individual and collective, finally, or weaken the others independent means. 27 In Mahayana-naya-sat- paramita-sutra, it is said: people may lose instead of benefit from supplying the wicked, like people who feed a savage beast are surely injured. 28 As to the wicked that do evil, we of course should not give up but employ an expedient method to redeem them, otherwise, blindly abuse of compassion will end in harming yourself and others, and the disaster may exacerbate and even spread to the whole society. Master Yinshun proposed two wealth consuming principles: the first is moderate, neither extravagant nor stingy, the second is to consider both saving and expense. 29 So-called to consider both saving and expense means to pay attention to proper allocation of legal income and consider all aspects. The Buddha has instructions in several sutras. In Samyukta-agama, it is said: Beginning to study skills and crafts for the convenience of gathering property, you should divide your property into four portions: one for self use, two for business, and one for saving against unexpected needs. 30 In Samyukta-agama, legal wealth acquired by effort should be divided into four portions: the first is used for basic necessities of clothing, food, shelter and transportation; the second and third are saved for business and further investment, the fourth is for saving against unexpected needs. In Parinirvana-sutra, wealth beyond basic necessities of life is divided in four portions: A wise man that raises a family in a reverent and thrift manner should supply four kinds of people and make them happy. The first is to supply his parents, wives and children, the second visitors, guests and servants, the third relatives and friends, the fourth the king, celestial beings, gods, monks, and ascetics. It is so-called with transcendental knowledge of life capable of
Prof. Li Yining compared individual donation with non profit individual investment, Economic Ethical Problems, The Joint Publishing Company, 1995 Version 1, p.186-187. 27 [German] Friedrich Paulsen, A System of Ethics, translated by He Huaihong, Liao Shenbai, p.556. 28 Mahayana-naya-sat-paramita-sutra, Vol.9, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.8, p. 908 above. 29 Yinshun, Buddha in the Human World, The Wonderful-cloud Collection Second Part, Chapter II, p.258. 30 Samyukta-agama No.48, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.2, p.353 above.
224
26

enjoying a good healthy life and raising a family, being competent and goodlooking, rich and good famed, surely hell ascend celestial after death. 31 Likewise, in The Mind-observing Sutra in Mahayana Jataka, the fourth portion of wealth is divided as: the first portion of treasure is used to bear interests and foster the family and business; the second portion for daily necessities; the third portion giving to the solitary to cultivate blessings, and the fourth portion to help clan relatives, guests and passengers. 32 From the above mentioned classic wealth treatment, we can see the Buddhas treasuring of consumer ethic, which reflects wholesomeness and rationality of Buddhist consumer ethic. It mainly involves: 1st, management, namely, reinvestment of income, thus, wealth can grow accumulatively; 2nd, expense, namely, frequent living expenses, such as clothing, food, shelter and transportation, childrens education, support parents, guests and visitors; 3rd, saving, mainly for unexpected needs such as medical insurance, and endowment insurance; 4th, blessings, repay the society to increase good karma, such as public welfare- culture, compassion relief, and Buddhists are also obliged to supply the triple gems. From thrift, content, generosity and specific method of wealth allocation of sufficient economy, we can see universality and individuality between Buddhist consumer ethic and secular consumer ethic, which reflects Buddhist wisdom in wealth and particular religious meaning.
IV. Conclusion: Although the Buddhist supramundane tradition in history was endowed more rationalization and secularization under the influence of the dhyana sects engagement and the mundane Buddhism during the period of the Republic of China, in face of the world economic development, globalization and modernization sweeping worldwide, what a religious force should modern Buddhism provide to economic development? Conversely, what a role should Buddhism play in the course of economic globalization? This financial crisis provides an opportunity for our constructing and promoting Buddhist sufficient economy. We absorb wisdom of Buddhist economic ethic from all Buddhist periods of history, which mainly come from original Buddhist scriptures, to restructure Buddhist occupational ethic and consumer ethic. Wish beginning with
Parinirvana-sutra, Part I, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.1, p. 183 above. The Mind-observing Sutra in Mahayana Jataka Vol.4, Dazheng Buddhist Scriptures, Vol.3, p. 310 above.
32
31
225
Buddhist sufficient economy, more contributions and thoughts of Buddhist economic ethic will be made.
226
Buddhism and the Economics of Mind
Levente Szabados
In the last approximately 18 months mainly since the accumulation of deep pressures resulting in the so called subprime mortgage crisis back in 2007 it is commonplace to talk about global recession and the crisis of economies, which according to more and more experts in the field shows a much deeper movement and maybe lead to the reorganization of global relations. Whether this is the case, and we face fundamental changes (such as the introduction of a new global reserve currency recently proposed by China33), or it is just a kind of temporal disorder, and the current financial system will continue to function is a complex and multi layered question. What is more important while thinking about the structure of the current situation is the fact that a definite and ever growing crisis consciousness is present.34 As scholars rooted in Buddhist tradition we are challenged to focus our attention to this kind of consciousness, and to think over the implications which follow from the view of minds in crisis.
The Basis of Examination: In spite of the fact that there are multiple approaches economists can take in analyzing recession, or even to point out its existence such as the rule according to which the US economy is in recession if the growth of GDP is negative in two consecutive quarters for our purposes the appropriate point of departure will be the price action of stock and foreign exchange markets in general, and especially the interpretation of these movements in frames of economic theories. Let us first shortly survey the basics of price formation on these open markets. As we all know, the formation of prices of individual stocks, currencies, derivatives or any kind of financial instruments is based on the realized transactions between individual parties buyers and sellers whether they be individual small investors, institutions, national banks or other kind of entities. The individual decisions of these entities to buy or sell certain instruments is the
33 For more details see the report of the Financial Times at http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7851925a-17a211de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html 34 It would be a quite challenging study to survey the change in the frequency of words like meltdown, crisis and so on in the mass media to point out the arising of crisis consciousness.
227
basis of price formation, and thus it has been the subject of multiple intensive studies of economists. This led to the formation of diverse views about price formation and the behavior of markets in general.
The View of Efficient Markets: One of the most influential views about market price action is the so called model of efficient markets elaborated in an increasingly complex form by the work of Eugene Fama.35 This theory whilst distinguishing three different modes or layers of efficiency is based on the assumption that all (or increasingly more and more) information concerning the different stocks or assets are available for the investors, so that they can base their decisions on pieces of information which are external to the markets. (Beside the fact that transaction costs are also decreasing.) Thus the movement of markets is from an inner perspective - a random walk of prices only determined by the so called fundamental factors. This view assumes that investors are: 1. Individual, what in this context means that they only take into account the maximalization of their own profits and so act as absolutely separated entities communicating only via news and prices. 2. Objective in their decision, which is to say they evaluate the quickly, efficiently distributed fundamental data according to the same economic principles, so they will arrive at the same conclusions. These foundations lead to the conclusion that price action is unpredictable from previous price data since every information is priced in in an effective and uniform manner, and the external factors like corporate news or political events are only random constraints for the prices. The further models based on the efficient market hypothesis like the so called Capital Assets Pricing Model (CAPM)36 or its counterpart the FamaFrench three factor model strongly emphasizes individual, objective decisions and consequently a kind of randomness and short term unpredictability with long term equilibrium in view.
35 See Eugene Fama: Efficient Capital Markets: A Review of Theory and Empirical Work, Journal of Finance, May 1970 and other works. 36 About the development of the modell see The Treynor Capital Asset Pricing Model by Craig W. French Journal of Investment Management, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 60-72, 2003
228
Behavioral finance: In spite of the dominance of efficient market thinking from the 60's onwards there has been growing evidence that the models based on Fama's work are not complete, since more and more data has been gathered to show effects which are significant, but are only treatable in the above mentioned frames as anomalies.37 On this basis more and more economic research has been conducted to analyze the decision making processes of investors. Thus models like prospect theory and a whole new fields of research has been developed, which deal with the problem of how the psychological factors of investors exercise a strong role in their decisions about taking up market positions. With the growing importance of research in the field of behavioral finance it became more and more evident that the view of investors as fully rational computing machines, who determine their actions on the basis of strict and objective principles is at least suspicious, and even in the longer term psychological factors are significant. The tendency of investors to overvalue or undervalue assets is strong enough to cause significant differences in the returns of portfolios.38 Thus this model attacks one of the pillars of the efficient market view, since it shows how the objective decision making procedure is influenced by psychology. Strangely enough, this kind of subjectivist turn reinforces the question which was buried under the influence of efficient market thinking that future price action can be to some extent predictable if there is a way to give an account of the psychological factors influencing decision making. Individualism: At this point it is important to draw attention to the fact that both approaches still have some common presumptions, which happen to be strongly dependent on the basic assumptions of economics and western culture in general. If we examine the above described theories from a wider angle, we will realize that the basic notion of an independent individual, the prototype of homo
37 The details of the arguments against efficient market hypothesis and the history of its development I've used the work of Gyrgy Komromi A hatkony piacok elmletnek elmleti s gyakorlati relevancija in Kzgazdasgi Szemle XLIX., May 2002, but see also Bloomfield, Robert (2008). "behavioral finance." The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd Edition. 38 De Bondt, W. F. M.Thaler, R. [1985]: Does the Stock Market Overreact? Journal of Finance, 40(3) 793805. pp
229
oeconomicus remains unchanged in the background of them, acting as a kind of unreflected foundation.39 The view of economic man (a kind of prototype) looks at the participants of economy in this case the investors as totally individual entities with closed, well distinguishable boundaries, as boxes who act on their own behalf for their own goals, to maximize their own profits. They are only capable of taking their own advantage as the highest goal, and furthermore they are, in a way separate, discrete units. In this description it is not very difficult to realize that this image of human nature is not just the view of economics, but it is deeply based on the tacit theoretical foundation pervading our whole western culture: the strict boundedness and solid individuality of persons. If we try to analyze this tacit foundation, suddenly the notions and intellectual achievements of Buddhist tradition come into play.
Buddhism and economics: As we know quite well, the scholarly works approaching the problems of modern economies and societies from a Buddhist standpoint are strongly growing in numbers and significance. Much fruitful effort has been spent to introduce the possibilities the Buddhist tradition can open up in viewing economic activity. (Just take for example the influential writings of E. F. Schumacher40, or Lszlo Zsolnai41.) One of the main points these approaches make in constructing Buddhist economics is to draw attention to an alternative approach which could be taken in thinking about economic behavior, and thus how a change in attitudes and practices could be initiated to achieve the goals of sustainable development, and a more humanistic way of life. Though the merits of this kind of work are extremely deep, we now take a slightly different, more indirect approach, in which we would like to use the conceptual framework supplied by the Buddhist tradition to think over basic assumptions of economics when it examines financial markets in their natural
39 About the characteristics of the economic man see John B. Cobb Jr. - Herman Daly: For the common good, Beacon Press, Boston, 1989 pp 85-97. 40 E. F. Schumacher: Buddhist economics in Asia: A Handbook, Anthony Blond Ltd., London, 1966, or other works collected in Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Harper Perennial, London, 1989 41 Laszlo Zsolnai et al. (ed.): Business within limits: Deep ecology and Buddhist economics, Peter Lang Publishing, Bern, 2005
230

form (that means descriptively). We will do this not to directly influence the ethics of the discipline, but to point out possibilities inside the frames of its own research program and draw attention to some interesting questions.
Problem of the individual: As far as we have seen, the pillars of the current market models stand firmly on the ground of the view of a well definable individual entity, or to (hopefully validly) theorize: on an individual soul in a certain meaning. The economic human and the human of modern liberal democracies in general is someone who has a well defined and protected autonomy of being a distinct individual, and thus for being the lord of his/her own decisions. The considerations of behavioral finance which are in strong correlation with the advancement of psychology are somewhat undermining this later characteristic, but only partially. If we take into account the notions of Buddhist thinking, the problem gets more depth. On the one hand, we can consider the critical or negating aspects based on the core teachings of Buddha Sakyamuni. The most basic foundation of Buddhism is the doctrine of no-self (anatt), which is a radical critique on an empirical basis of our common notion of self as a discrete, solid and substantial entity. The deep analysis of the Buddha aims to destroy our fixation to think of ourselves as a non-composed, eternal and distinct entity. The Buddha analyzes the processes of experience in terms of five aggregates (for example in the Phena Sutta42) or six sensory fields (as in. the Sayatanavibhaga Sutta43), and shows that no fundamental unity can be shown in what we consider as a self, since it is only a temporal collection of aggregates, or what is more relevant to our considerations of momentary factors of mental experience. This kind of presentation lays strong emphasis on the question of WHAT it is really that causes the arising of moments of mental experience. Is it really the case that an individual inner unity leads us to draw conclusions or make decisions? But when there is no such solid self as a basis for decision making, what does this mean to us? What is then the source for these activities? On the next, more constructive level Buddhist thought leads us in the form of codependent origination (paticcasamuppda) to some new insights. The teachings elaborate
42 SN 22.95 43 MN. 137.

231
in detail how certain states as birth aging and death are built up from causes and conditions, and how the cessation of these causes can lead to liberation. If we consider the implications further, we find that beside the possibility to interpret the twelve nidnas of codependent origination as the framework in which the cycle of human suffering is portrayed as three consecutive lives (where ignorance and volitional action constitute a prior existence, and birth decay-agingdeath form a future life) there is the possibility to see all actual mental states as resulting from this kind of chain of conditioning. We can broaden our perspective even more, and consider the teaching of codependent origination as a wider concept, showing us that like the net of Indra, all phenomena are constituted as reflections of innumerable other phenomena. That is to say, they constitute a vast network of codependent units, in which the parts and subnetworks exhibit emergent properties causing the effect we falsely attribute to selves.44 This also sheds a different light on mental processes in general. If we take as the researcher of cognitive sciences Francisco Vrela in his groundbreaking work Embodied mind45 did our own mental constitution as a result of a network of codependent factors we will be easily inclined to allow some kind of loosening of the strict boundaries of self and allow for more open views. As a final step, let us consider the possibility that the different units (individuals) can exercise some influence on each other. That is to say, the process of their constitution, the generation of their current states actively involves other individuals. Their own view is partly the view of all others. This line of thinking can also be traced albeit in a quite peculiar form inside the Buddhist tradition. Let us take for example the work of Dharmakrti: Satnntara-siddhi46, in which the author while his argument is focused on a somewhat different topic elaborates a view, in which the influences of minds on each other are mutually causing important properties of their experience, thus a kind of collective cognition takes place. Bearing such views in mind let us return to our main topic: the formation of open market prices by the investors and participants.
44 It is well worth noting that this view of phenomena as networks with emergent properties can be well brought in to paralellism with the metaphysics of A. N. Whitehead (take for example the notion of prehension) as well as his criticism of the byproducts of scientific methods, the so called misplaced concreteness what can be well demonstrated with the above mentioned notion of homo oeconomicus as absolute individual. 45 Vrela-Thompson-Rosch: The embodied mind Cognitive science and human experience, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1993 46 English translation in: Thomas E. Woods: Mind only, Motilala Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi, 1994
232
Price action and cognition: So what is the relevance of the above summarized concepts of Buddhism in considering the investment decisions of market participants, and what is the possible benefit of applying these notions to the economic field? To the first question the answer should be that these considerations can possibly broaden the field of behavioral finance, since they remove a tacit conceptual barrier, namely our tendency to analyze investor decisions as individual acts and open the field for the notion of stock market movements as acts of collective cognition. At first glance this proposal may sound quite strange, since we are all used to thinking of market participants as individuals acting from self interest, and not as a complex network of interconnected nodes, who as a whole constitute an enormous net of collective co-dependence. It is not just so that our individual psychology can influence our decisions. No. It is quite well possible that our collective attitudes exercise a significant influence on our mere perception of facts, and thus, when we act according to our perceptions, we become part of a feedback mechanism that generates trends, strong tendencies in price movements. If we also take account of the considerations surrounding feedback mechanisms, especially the notion of so called deviance amplification of second cybernetics47 we can get a picture about the possibilities of such feedback. (In accordance with the principles of second cybernetics deviance amplifying processes, distributed networks, for example, can produce effects quite out of proportion with the original causes. This means that they can magnify the effects to whole new scales.) The question remains whether the application of such a model in economics is possible?
Wave theory: At this point it is well worth noting that such model does exist, albeit it has only a quite marginal position in economic thinking. This is maybe because it requires loosening our image of discrete acting entities and objective decisions, which can be a great challenge. In light of the above elaborated scheme, the work of Ralph Nelson Elliott definitely deserves to be mentioned. The researcher who back in the 30-ies
47 See for example the work of Magoroh Maruyama: The second cybernetics Deviation amplifying mutual causal processes, American Scientist 1963 5:2, pp. 164--179.
233
collected and analyzed massive amounts of market data found some recurring schemes in the graphical presentation of prices which according to his conclusions formed a kind of rhythm or pattern that could be traced in different kinds of equities and assets, and thus made it possible to generalize a scheme for market movements. This is called the Elliot Wave theory. Though it was based on a broad empirical analysis, the findings of Elliott lacked a well founded theoretical background. The strong notion of market participants as discrete rational entities prevented the formation of such grounding, and thus his wave theory had little influence on the mainstream of economic thought. Later Robert Prechter, who picked up the work of Elliott and tried to anchor his findings in a more solid ground, advocated that the trend waves of Elliott should constitute a kind of pattern that is the consequence (and realized form) of collective social action. With a different expression he even called it social mood.48 To be able to make such a bold step, we have to consider the point emphasized before: that our basic world view and education strengthens our tendency to think in isolated and autonomous units. Thus we strongly feel that any kind of connection between the entities whether they be of any kind needs to be proved with strong arguments. To formulate it more clearly: we feel that separateness is the default state of existence, and connection is something requiring addition. Thus we are hard pressed to find mostly resulting from our own predispositions connections strong enough for us to be acceptable.49 But if we consider research done in the field of so called weak links by the researchers Pter Csermely and Albert-Lszl Barabsi, we will find some examples that can move us towards a more open stance with regard to the interconnectedness of phenomena.50 If we accept this kind of generalization, we will consider prices as patterns of collective actions, the mutual influence of the participants of markets on each other. Further on we can also try to think of the network of participants as
48 For the details see Robert R. Prechter:The Elliott wave principle, and the new science of socionomics , New Classics Library, Gainsville, 1999 49 About the comparison of causal theories and the basic disposition of separated view see also the work of Joanna Macy: The Dharma of natural systems Mutual causality in Buddhism and general systems theory, SUNY Press, New York, 1991 50 For more details see the works: Albert-Lszl Barabsi: Linked the new science of networks, Basic Books, New York, 2002, and Pter Csermely: Weak Links: Stabilizers of Complex Systems from Proteins to Social Networks, Springer, Boston, 2006
234

a nexus, which can be viewed as something giving rise to emergent patterns51 (and not merely as an aggregation of simple components). Accepting this opens up a quite different view and with it, some new possibilities.
Practical applications: But apart from a mere intellectual experiment or a new viewpoint, what kind of practical benefit can it bring us to change our stance towards the models of price actions? The first and most obvious advantage in the gradual buildup of such a model could be the inclusion of the results of Elliott's work, which according to Prechter52 - may open up the possibility of a more detailed analysis and prediction of prices based on the patterns of social actions. In second place also based on Prechter's work we would consider the possibility to use stock market prices (as exact, readily available and voluminous data samples based on a vast interconnected activity) to analyze the trends of society in large, or to put it more clearly: to realize, how crisis consciousness and the actual actions correlate. This is also the point where the Buddhist tradition can again play an important role. Let us consider the possibility that market trends are based on the collective actions of participants, which further on depend upon the social mood (that is to say on the amplified basic impulses with which the participants influence each-other and generate the trend). We will find that our own notions about randomness of prices or about the strong isolation and independence of individuals can hinder us in realizing the situation. It is in this case obvious that the teachings and practices of Buddhism can provide some aid, since the tradition of open-ended reflection53, which is based on the acceptance of interconnected plurality, is one of the most rigorous methodical approaches capable of correcting the distortions hindering insight. With this the notion of the importance of market psychology gains a new importance, and a new topic of research: on the one hand the question of psychological influences on price action can acquire a collective dimension. They
51 Just as the enactive cognitive model of Vrela looks at the network of simple neural components as a structure from which complexity can arise as an emergent property. 52 See his above mentioned work. 53 Term borrowed from Vrela to denote the mindfullness-awareness (satipatthna-vipassan) tradition.
235
could no longer be treated as functions of individuals, adding considerations about emergent patterns and group dynamics to the picture. On the other hand the perspectives of inner reflection can also be brought into play, adding a new dimension (with the terms of Vrela first person methodology) to economics as well. Hopefully this kind of development can lead to beneficial changes in the topics of economical ethics emphasized by Buddhist economic studies.
Bibliography Barabsi Albert-Lszl: Linked the new science of networks, Basic Books, New York, 2002, Bloomfield, Robert behavioral finance. The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd Edition. 2008 Cobb John B. Jr. - Daly, Herman E.: For the common good, Beacon Press, Boston, 1989 Csermely Pter: Weak Links: Stabilizers of Complex Systems from Proteins to Social Networks, Springer, Boston, 2006 De Bondt, W. F. M.Thaler, R.: Does the Stock Market Overreact? Journal of Finance 1985, 40(3) 793805. pp Fama, Eugene: Efficient Capital Markets: A Review of Theory and Empirical Work, Journal of Finance, May 1970 French, Craig W.: The Treynor Capital Asset Pricing Model by Journal of Investment Management, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 60-72, 2003 Joanna Macy: The Dharma of natural systems Mutual causality in Buddhism and general systems theory, SUNY Press, New York, 1991 Komromi Gyrgy A hatkony piacok elmletnek elmleti s gyakorlati relevancija in Kzgazdasgi Szemle XLIX., May 2002 Maruyama, Magoroh: The second cybernetics Deviation amplifying mutual causal processes, American Scientist 1963 5:2, pp. 164179. Robert R. Prechter: The Elliott wave principle, and the new science of socionomics, New Classics Library, Gainsville, 1999 Schumacher, E. F. : Buddhist economics in Asia: A Handbook, Anthony Blond Ltd., London, 1966,
236

Schumacher, E. F.: Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Harper Perennial, London, 1989 Vrela-Thompson-Rosch: The embodied mind Cognitive science and human experience, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1993 Woods Thomas E.: Mind only,Motilala Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi, 1994 Zsolnai Lszl et al. (ed.): Business within limits: Deep ecology and Buddhist economics, Peter Lang Publishing, Bern, 2005
237

Ecomonic

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Descrizione originale:

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Ecomonic

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Editorial Board Advisors

Table of Content Preface Introduction Conclusion

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

Goods and services (as inputs)

Production process to produce pleasure

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Diagram 1: Definition of Sukha in Buddhist Economics.

Samissukha (Kamasukha) Pleasure from acquisition

Niramamissukha Pleasure from non acquisition

Jhnasukha Pleasure from meditation

Nibbnasukha Pleasure from emancipation

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

Necessity for having the four basic factors

Normative economics (Value judgment) Survival of life

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

In reality, everything exists in a

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

A Cross Sectional Diagram of Sikkhattaya

A Vertical Vision of Sikkhattaya

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

Dr.Preeyanuch Jariyavidyanont, the Inspector- General

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

A Buddhist Guide in Tackling the Challenges of Economic Crises

Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle Bath Spa University United Kingdom

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis

Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis |

|Buddhist Approach to Economic Crisis