Daily Buddhism

The Eightfold Path Step 5: Right Livelihood

“Right Livelihood” is the goal of trying to make a living with right thought, speech and actions.  You don’t have to give up everything and become a propertyless monk, but no Buddhist practitioner should engage in trades or occupations which, either directly or indirectly, result in harm to other living beings or systems.

Think about your job; is anyone, anywhere harmed, either physically, emotionally or mentally?  How about animals?  If you analyze your life, you are probably going to see where you live at someone else’s expense. In my opinion, this is one part of the Eightfold Path that was easier to accomplish back in Buddha’s day than it is now.  Today, everyone is so interdependant that it’s extremely hard to live without doing some damage.

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