Income and assets play a significant role in the lives and well-being of people. A number of the Buddha’s teachings that relate to material wealth—its acquisition and investment—are more relevant today than ever. In a world where right livelihood is becoming an increasingly urgent moral calling, there needs to be a bold and comprehensive re-envisioning of the acquisition of wealth and how it is distributed and used to uplift communities and individuals. The Buddha’s advice on the use of wealth for the benefit of oneself and others is laid out in several texts in the Pali Canon: the Sigalovada Sutta, the Anana Sutta, and the Vyagghapajja Sutta.
The Sigalovada Sutta of the Digha Nikaya (III 180), a code of discipline for lay life, contains two important verses that sum up the spiritual ideal of what one might call an economically comfortable householder. One passage declares: “The wise and virtuous shine like a blazing fire. He who acquires his wealth in harmless ways like to a bee that honey gathers, riches mount up for him like ant hill’s rapid growth.” It goes on to advise: “With wealth acquired this way, a layman fit for household life, in portions four divides his wealth: thus will he friendship win.
- One portion for his wants he uses,
- Two portions on his business spends,
- Fourth for times of need he keeps.” read more
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