Buddhism shows the path to happiness

S.M. Wijeyaratne
Kurunegala Daily News Corr

Buddha extols simple living as being more conducive to the development of one’s mind. A society

progresses to the extent the mind of the individual is developed. Through Buddhism it was possible to

disentangle this tangle of views and to reduce this confusion. Today too, in ‘This Confused Society’ it is generally believed that Buddhism could again help in lighting a path through the darkness of this confusion.

In recent times, many books have been written on the subject of economics and economic theory, all of them either from the capitalist or socialist point of view.

Neither of these systems pays attention to, nor considers the inner development of man as an important factor in the growth of society. Hence there has been a rapid deterioration in human values and standards of behaviour in all classes of society. Science and technology have taken gigantic strides forward to send man to the moon, and it will not be long before he visits other planets.

But fears are expressed that if the present trend towards moral degeneration continues, before long it would be impossible to differentiate human action from that of the animal. This fear is not baseless. It would be a great tragedy indeed were man to turn beast even in one of the many beastly aspects of behaviour belonging to the lowest animals. Thus what the world requires today is a socially stable economic system which yields the highest place to man’s moral development and cultivation of human values.

Divergent views

The Buddha lived in a society entangled and confused by sixty-two divergent views and one hundred and eight types of craving. There were hundreds who went about in search of an escape from this entanglement of views. Once the Buddha was asked the question: (Jata Sutta)

”The inner tangle and the outer tangle
This world is entangled in a tangle.

Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?

The Buddha who explained that all these tangles have mind as the fore-runner, answered thus-

”When a wise man, established well in virtue,
Develops consciousness and understanding,
Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious
He succeeds in disentangling this tangle”.

External factors

Realising the importance of the external factors in man’s endeavour towards disentangling himself from the inner tangle, the Buddha gave many discourses on the ways and means of overcoming the outer tangle. Some of these teachings were meant only for Bhikkhus. Others were only for laymen. The rest were meant for both bhikkhus and laymen, although in the latter case, the discourses were mainly directed to the Bhikkhus.

In one such discourse, he approved the acceptance by bhikkhus of the four requisites namely robes, food, shelter and medicine. Man could live without all other modern contraptions but for life to go on, these four requisites are essential. Wealth is required by man to obtain these four requisites and to meet his other needs.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eight fold Path that would be classified under right values and right action, enables man to achieve the highest ends. For economic stability and well-being, the Buddhist system stresses three factors in the Vyaghapajja Sutta.

1. Uththana Sampada – Production of wealth through skilled and earnest endeavour.
2. Arakkha Sampada – Its protection and savings.
3. Samajivikata – Living within one’s means.

4. Uththana Sampada - The Buddha who encouraged the production of wealth makes special reference to six

ranges prevalent at that time.

(1) Agriculture
(2) Trade
(3) Cattle breeding
(4) Defence Services
(5) Government Services and
(6) Professional services

India was predominantly an agricultural country. Hence many references in the discourses were made to agriculture.

For example’ in the “Sadapunnappavddhana sutta” it is mentioned that providing of irrigation facilities results in yielding continuous merit.

In the ‘Samyutta Nikaya’, it is mentioned that the greatest asset for agriculture is cattle, while in the ‘Sutta Nipatha’ cattle from whom man obtains milk, gee, curd, butter, and whey, of much nutritious value are described as the best friends of a country.

In developing countries, water and draught power provided by cattle are basic needs for agriculture.

2. Arakkha Sampada

This means the worldly happiness derived from constant protection of one’s wealth (that has been righteously obtained) from burglary, fire, floods etc.

As the Buddha has extolled the virtue of savings, this factor too could be considered in this context.

3. Samjivikata

This is the third of the three basic principles in the Buddhist Economic System. A person should spend reasonably in proportion to his income, neither too much nor too tittle.

The Buddha has preached on how one must spend his wealth, as follows.

1. Expenditure on food and clothing and other needs.
2. Maintenance of parents, wife and children and servants.
3. For illness and other emergencies
4 for charitable purposes.
5 For the performance of the following

(a) Treating one’s relatives
(b) treating one’s visitors
(c) Offering alms in memory of the departed.
(d) Offering merit to the deities
(e) Payment of State taxes and dues in time.

Simple living

Buddha extols simple living as being more conducive to the development of one’s mind. A society progresses to the extent the mind of the individual is developed. Through Buddhism it was possible to disentangle this tangle of views and to reduce this confusion. Today too, in ‘This Confused Society’ it is generally believed that Buddhism could again help in lighting a path through the darkness of this confusion. May all be well and happy.