INTEREPRETING “RIGHT INTEREPRETING “RIGHT LIVELIHOOD”:LIVELIHOOD”:

Understanding and Practice in Understanding and Practice in Contemporary ThailandContemporary Thailand

NISSARA HORAYANGURANISSARA HORAYANGURAnissara@post.harvard.edunissara@post.harvard.edu

Work and HappinessWork and Happiness

Work - the bulk of daily life Work - the bulk of daily life Work as means of self-Work as means of self-

actualization (reflect values and actualization (reflect values and aspirations)aspirations)

Work as means of self-Work as means of self-developmentdevelopment

Work as part of spiritual practiceWork as part of spiritual practice

Right Livelihood and the Right Livelihood and the Buddhist Path to HappinessBuddhist Path to HappinessRight Livelihood - Part of Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path Right Livelihood - Part of Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path

Morality (Morality (SilaSila))

Right Speech (Right Speech (samma-vacasamma-vaca) )

Right Action (Right Action (samma-kammantasamma-kammanta))

Right Livelihood (Right Livelihood (samma ajivasamma ajiva))

InnerInner Outer Outer TransformationTransformation

(on Individual and (on Individual and Social Levels)Social Levels)

Mental Discipline (Mental Discipline (SamadhiSamadhi))

Right Effort (Right Effort (samma-vayamasamma-vayama))

Right Mindfulness (Right Mindfulness (samma-satisamma-sati))

Right Concentration (Right Concentration (samma-samma-samadhisamadhi))

Inner Inner TransformationTransformation

Wisdom (Wisdom (PannaPanna))

Right View (Right View (samma-ditthisamma-ditthi))

Right Intention (Right Intention (samma-sankappasamma-sankappa))

Inner Inner TransformationTransformation

Interpreting “Right Livelihood”Interpreting “Right Livelihood”

How is “Right Livelihood” How is “Right Livelihood” understood?understood?

How is “Right Livelihood” actually How is “Right Livelihood” actually practiced? practiced? Choice of jobChoice of job Design of work lifestyleDesign of work lifestyle

……by people seriously committed to by people seriously committed to spiritual (Buddhist) practice (Thai: spiritual (Buddhist) practice (Thai: ““Phu Patibat Tham”Phu Patibat Tham”)) (8 case-studies of Bangkokians)(8 case-studies of Bangkokians)

Avoiding Wrong LivelihoodAvoiding Wrong Livelihood

Five Prohibited Trades in BuddhismFive Prohibited Trades in Buddhism WeaponsWeapons Living beingsLiving beings MeatMeat IntoxicantsIntoxicants PoisonPoison

Unethical jobsUnethical jobs Jobs that cause suffering to othersJobs that cause suffering to others Jobs that involve breaking of 5 preceptsJobs that involve breaking of 5 precepts

Avoiding Wrong LivelihoodAvoiding Wrong Livelihood

Expanding interpretation of Wrong LivelihoodExpanding interpretation of Wrong Livelihood

““No trade in intoxicants” = No restaurants selling No trade in intoxicants” = No restaurants selling alcohol in shopping mall?alcohol in shopping mall?

““No lying” = No journalism?No lying” = No journalism?

““No stealing” = No corruption? So no working in No stealing” = No corruption? So no working in business at all?business at all?

““No causing suffering” = No inciting consumerism? No causing suffering” = No inciting consumerism? (e.g. advertising/marketing/retailing jobs)(e.g. advertising/marketing/retailing jobs)

From “Not Wrong” to “Right” From “Not Wrong” to “Right” LivelihoodLivelihood

Among “Not Wrong” livelihoods, Among “Not Wrong” livelihoods, are some more “Right” than are some more “Right” than others?others?

Are some incompatible with Are some incompatible with committed spiritual practice?committed spiritual practice?

Or are some especially Or are some especially supportive of committed spiritual supportive of committed spiritual practice?practice?

From “Not Wrong” to “Right” From “Not Wrong” to “Right” LivelihoodLivelihood

What is truly “Right”? What is truly “Right”?

Not “Right” in simple moralistic Not “Right” in simple moralistic sense sense

But “Right” in holistic senseBut “Right” in holistic sense Nourish body as well as mindNourish body as well as mind Benefit self as well as othersBenefit self as well as others

Right Intention Right Intention in a Right Livelihoodin a Right Livelihood Crucial deciding factor between Crucial deciding factor between

wrong/not wrong and not wrong/rightwrong/not wrong and not wrong/right Question is not strictly Question is not strictly whatwhat job but job but

how how job is done (with what intention)job is done (with what intention) Right Intention:Right Intention:

Do no harm (Harmlessness)Do no harm (Harmlessness) Not for the money (Renunciation)Not for the money (Renunciation) Service (Goodwill)Service (Goodwill)

Spiritual Development and Spiritual Development and Service to OthersService to Others Mutually complementary objectivesMutually complementary objectives Objective in work derives from Objective in work derives from

objective in lifeobjective in life Spiritual spin to self-development Spiritual spin to self-development

and service to othersand service to others Compassion – Social consciousnessCompassion – Social consciousness HowHow: Work according to dhammic : Work according to dhammic

principlesprinciples What: What: Work in jobs directly related to Work in jobs directly related to

spirituality (at least part-time, spirituality (at least part-time, preferably full-time)preferably full-time)

Spiritual Development and Spiritual Development and Service to OthersService to Others HowHow: Work mindfully and : Work mindfully and

according to dhammic principlesaccording to dhammic principles e.g. e.g. Brahmavihara 4 Brahmavihara 4 and and

Iddhipada 4Iddhipada 4

““Work is dhamma practice.”Work is dhamma practice.” (“(“Kan Tham Ngan Kue Kan Kan Tham Ngan Kue Kan

Patibat Tham”)Patibat Tham”) - Buddhadasa Bhikkhu- Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

Spiritual Development and Spiritual Development and Service to OthersService to Others What: What: Work in jobs directly related to Work in jobs directly related to

spirituality (at least part-time, spirituality (at least part-time, preferably full-time)preferably full-time)

Jobs that allow one to be “close to Jobs that allow one to be “close to dhamma” eg learn and practice dhamma” eg learn and practice dhammadhamma

Jobs that involve serviceJobs that involve service Spreading dhamma/ helping others in Spreading dhamma/ helping others in

spiritual developmentspiritual development Not only monetary donations but also Not only monetary donations but also

social action through worksocial action through work

Examples of Right LivelihoodExamples of Right Livelihood

Spirituality Directly IncorporatedSpirituality Directly Incorporated Writer of dhamma booksWriter of dhamma books Dhamma teacherDhamma teacher Coordinator of spirituality-related projectsCoordinator of spirituality-related projects Volunteer at retreat CenterVolunteer at retreat Center Mental health counselorMental health counselor

Spirituality Indirectly IncorporatedSpirituality Indirectly Incorporated Publishing firm publishes dhamma booksPublishing firm publishes dhamma books Hotel offers “meditation retreat” packageHotel offers “meditation retreat” package Professor incorporates dhamma into teachingProfessor incorporates dhamma into teaching

Difficulties in Difficulties in Practicing Right LivelihoodPracticing Right Livelihood

““Worldly Work” vs. “Dhamma Worldly Work” vs. “Dhamma Work”Work”

Not enough time or moneyNot enough time or money Family expectations (e.g. to Family expectations (e.g. to

work in the family business)work in the family business) Doing “Dhamma Work” in not so Doing “Dhamma Work” in not so

dhammic waydhammic way

Right Livelihood and the Right Livelihood and the Socio-Economic SystemSocio-Economic System Social conscience, but limited Social conscience, but limited

understanding of structural suffering understanding of structural suffering Little questioning of how jobs are entangled in Little questioning of how jobs are entangled in

socio-eco system (e.g. leads to uneven distrib of socio-eco system (e.g. leads to uneven distrib of income, exploits workers, ravages environment)income, exploits workers, ravages environment)

Little consideration of how jobs can help reform Little consideration of how jobs can help reform socio-eco systemsocio-eco system

““Spreading dhamma” at individual, not Spreading dhamma” at individual, not societal levelsocietal level

Further expansion of interpretation of Further expansion of interpretation of “Right Livelihood” to include societal “Right Livelihood” to include societal dimension is possible (necessary)dimension is possible (necessary)

SuggestionsSuggestions

Dhamma practitionersDhamma practitioners – spread dhamma at broader – spread dhamma at broader level/ contribute to re-spiritualizing society. Use level/ contribute to re-spiritualizing society. Use professional skills creatively to serve societyprofessional skills creatively to serve society

Monks/Dhamma teachersMonks/Dhamma teachers - teach about RL more - teach about RL more explicitly, including societal dimension.explicitly, including societal dimension.

EmployersEmployers – find ways to incorporate/allow for some – find ways to incorporate/allow for some spiritual development on the job or provide paid leave to spiritual development on the job or provide paid leave to do itdo it

Self-development workshops, self-reflection/evaluation, Self-development workshops, self-reflection/evaluation, dialoguedialogue

SchoolsSchools - Counsel students on RL/spiritual - Counsel students on RL/spiritual considerations in choosing careersconsiderations in choosing careers

MediaMedia – Highlight issues of RL and society – Highlight issues of RL and society

Thank YouThank You