Buddhism in Economics
The Economics of Buddhism
Who is the Buddha?
The word “Buddha” means an enlightened person, one who knows the truth clearly and who uses that truth to enlighten beings, so that beings can practice it to be free from all suffering.
The word “Buddha” means an enlightened one, which has two meanings:
1- An enlightened person who has a recognized history and has been preserved as a document
for humanity. The Buddha was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mahamaya of the city of Kapilavastu. When he was 16 years old, he married Queen Yasodhara or Bhimpa.
When he was 29 years old, he had a son named Rahula. At the same time, he set out to search for the truth. This act took 6 years to achieve enlightenment or encounter the truth, which is a very mysterious dharma. After enlightenment, he declared Buddhism, the state of the Dhamma: established a Sangha in the world. At the same time, he traveled everywhere to spread Buddhism for 45 years, until he passed away and entered Nirvana at the age of 80.
2- The Buddha was the only teacher in the world. He fulfilled the ten virtues, which are all goodness and dignity. Finally, he realized the truth, which is the supreme dharma in Buddhism, and was recognized as the "Buddha". It is this Buddha who is the founder of Buddhism.
What is Buddhism?
We all, as Buddhists, already know that Buddhism is "the teaching of the Buddha." The word teaching itself is called "Dhamma", which means law, nature, the sustaining nature of the world, etc. It is not a refuge for prayer, worship, or the Om mantra, nor does it require Buddhists to worship any deity or deity.
Translated as “law,” Buddhism is a theory of law, a repository of universal laws, with articles written as rules and permits with perfectly reasonable justifications for beings to follow in order to achieve happiness in this world, the next, and Nirvana.
Translated as “nature,” Buddhism is a theory of nature that reveals the truth of nature: humans, animals, water, earth, fire, wind, air, forests, mountains, rivers, and seas, all that exist in the world of gods, Brahma, Yama, and the moon, sun, and stars, so that beings can know and understand the causes and effects of nature according to their true nature, which is the most essential issue for life, body, birth, and the materials around them.
Which translates to "the world's sustaining nature" is Buddhism, a theory that explains good and bad deeds, merit and demerit, that is, the actions of beings, which are the causes that lead to happiness, suffering, destruction, and progress in this world, the next world, and in Nirvana.
On the other hand, Buddhism is a philosophy of the world, a philosophy that frees beings from ignorance, oppression, and suffering, especially from birth, aging, illness, and death. Buddhism is a realist or naturalist religion, true to life and the world, because Buddhist theory only talks about the truth of nature, the causes of nature, the movement of nature, and karma. The word nature in Buddhist theory does not mean the same as in natural science, but rather has a broader meaning for the entire world.
Therefore, Buddhism is a philosophical system, with a method of having a correct and complete study object, a unified science and method according to the level of the Sangkat, which is collectively called the Preah Pitaka, namely, the Sutras, the Disciplines, the Abhidhamma, which consists of 84,000 Dhammas, which are summarized in the shortest possible time in only three things:
1- All sins, all actions, not committing all sins
2- Wholesome qualities, fulfilling good deeds
3- Mindfulness, purifying the mind, purifying the mind, these are Buddhism.
In terms of human education, Buddhism emphasizes the current life. There is an explanation of the punishment of various destructions, the occupation that leads to punishment, the factors that are the means to bring wealth and prosperity, and the path as a way of practicing to live in the current life, etc.
The theory of Buddhism or the Three Precepts, which are abbreviated as Dhamma, is divided into three study methods:
1- The method of training to develop excellence in conduct, called sila sikha
2- The method of training to develop unity of mind, called citta sikha
3- The method of training to develop intellectual ability, called panna sikha.
These three methods, with the truth of Dhamma, are summed up in the four noble truths, the Four Noble Truths: 4 of which are:
1- The truth of suffering, suffering is the truth, the cause of suffering is the truth, the duty is to be established.
2- The truth of the origin of suffering is the truth, the duty is to be abandoned.
3- The truth of the cessation of suffering, the truth, the duty is to be made clear.
4- The truth of the path, the truth, the cessation of suffering is the truth, the duty is to be developed.
These 8 Noble Truths are the sum total of 84,000 dhammas.
These 4 Noble Truths are Buddhism, a world theory with a profound and vast meaning, absorbing all the movements of the world. It is true that there are as many as 84,000 dhammas, but their sole purpose is to help solve and alleviate social problems.
According to the economic theory of Western scholars, the purpose of the economy is to meet human needs.
The Dharma
The Dharma is the Dharma or law for householders, managers, and The householders who manage the household always have wives and children who are members of their own families. The members always have different personalities, even though they are of the same blood. Some have a cheerful nature and talk a lot, some like to joke and joke, some like to lie to others and use all kinds of tricks, some are honest, some like to be quiet, not wanting anything excessive that is contrary to the character of their parents. Therefore, the Buddha expressed the family dharma for implementation in the family. In terms of the economy of Buddhism, there are the following order:
Three Kinds of Benefits
1- The Benefit in The Present: Economy for the present life.
2- The Benefit here After: Economy for the new life.
3- The Benefit of Ultimate Reality: Economy for the life of Nirvana.
Note: Other religions have only 2 benefits, not reaching Nirvana. Only one Buddhism has achieved the highest benefit, which is Nirvana.
The reader should know that the order in which these three types of economics should be performed, which should be performed before, after, and after this element has the number as written. Lokya dhammatana translates as giving dharma to people in the world, meaning giving wisdom and knowledge for advancement in the present world (the present world) and the next world (the future world), reaching the first, middle, and highest Buddhist sciences, literature, mathematics, geography, history, and economic science.
* Buddhist sciences are divided into three levels: the first level (level 1), the middle level (level 2), and the highest level (level 3). The first level of knowledge reaches the view of dhammaikatta (present benefits) of four types: 1) udāna samsāra, 2) ārakṣa samsāra, 3) kalyanamitta, and 4) samjītā. The middle level of knowledge leads to four kinds of benefits: 1) physical fitness, 2) physical fitness, 3) physical fitness, and 4) intellectual fitness. The highest level of knowledge leads to four kinds of benefits: the benefits of good health, happiness, and peace in Nirvana. These three are called the Three Disciplines.
Buddhism, on the other hand, has mentioned moral principles that are related to economic principles for today's life:
The lower level of economic principles is to teach people to work hard to establish themselves, expand their position, and strengthen their economic status, which is to fulfill human needs. The Buddhist doctrines that are seen as related to the economy of each individual, family, or society in general are as follows: Buddhist Economic View: Present-day benefit, immediate benefit. The Blessed One was dwelling in the Kakkapada estate of the Kaliya king in the Kaliya kingdom. At that time, Tikhaja Nukalayaputha (a Kaliya son named Tikhajana) approached the Blessed One. When he arrived, he bowed down to the Blessed One and sat down in a suitable place. When Tikhaja Nukalayaputha sat down in a suitable place, he bowed down and said to the Blessed One: “I am a householder, managing a household, eating food, but managing a cramped living space, with children and a wife, and needing to earn money to support my family. Please explain to me some Dhamma for householders in the present time and what should be practiced in the future. At that time, the Buddha spoke about the benefits both in the present and in the next world. These four dhammas are done for the benefit of the present, for the happiness of the present generation. The benefits that a person has fulfilled through his efforts and has clearly achieved results in this life are called “the Dhamma view”. The Dhamma view (benefits in the present) has come to prepare oneself to have a strong position to live in this world and to teach one to establish oneself in economic stability. There is no Buddhist advice that the Buddha admonishes people and devas to be lazy, but he speaks about the wicked because they cut off both benefits: benefits in this world and benefits in the next world. The solution to get rid of poverty must be solved by two programs: benefits in the present and benefits in the next world.
The benefits in this world have come to the world in which we live, and as humans, we must practice acting in the right way according to the Dharma (building a life according to the lines of Buddhism) according to the method the Buddha expressed about the benefits in the present, which are four (The Four Benefits in the Present). What are they?
1- The Four Benefits in the Present means that we must try to earn a living and work all night long. Not lazy all day.
2- Arakhsana means that when we earn money, we must know how to divide it into daily household expenses, and we must know how to save some in the bank to be safe in the future when there is a great need.
3- Kalyanamitta means that we must know how to associate with friends who are useful to save each other and help each other in times of hardship. People who have a good heart do not associate with evil and unkind people. When needed, we should carefully select and count them as friends. Good friends help each other in times of need.
4- Samjitya means that we do not spend more than our income and wealth, whether it is small or large, that which comes, must be spent according to the amount of income, not to spend too much by spending too much. Knowing how to balance income and spend it well according to the strength of the wealth that we have.By knowing how to spend wisely and fairly, not just wanting to be extravagant and lavish with spending.
0 Comments