[vn-families] One Foot in the World - Buddhist Approaches to Present-day Problems

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Source: http://www.bududahama.org/onefoot/doc01.htm

One Foot in the World - Buddhist Approaches to Present-day Problems

------ Table of Contents ------------
 A Layman's Happiness
 The Mechanics of Bondage and Suffering
 Understanding and Managing Stress
 The Buddhist Attitude to Gain and Honor
 Livelihood and Development
 Facing Death Without Fear
 The Human Body
 Sensualistic Social Trends and Buddhism in Modern Times

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One Foot in the World - Buddhist Approaches to Present-day Problems
by Lily De Silva

The Wheel Publication Copyright © 1986 Buddhist Publication Society

A Layman's Happiness

Life in the modern age has become particularly trying and
problematic. Though it remains a fact that the standard of living
has generally improved, man is still suffering immensely under
the weight of present-day living. The physical condition of
man has been reduced to such a pathetic level that he succumbs
to untimely death by killer diseases such as cancer, heart
failure, diabetes, etc. to an unprecedented degree. Mentally,
he is so tension-ridden that he has forgotten the art of
relaxing, and he cannot even enjoy sound sleep without the aid
of tranquilizers. In this set up interpersonal relations have
become so brittle and vulnerable that the divorce rate has
become alarmingly high, thus letting loose a whole series of
other social problems such as uncared-for children, juvenile
delinquency, suicide, etc. Thus life has become a problematic
burden and a solution to make life more tolerable and enjoyable
is a great pressing need.

As the world of the Buddha is of everlasting value and universal
applicability, and as the Buddha preached not only to monks and
nuns but also to the lay public as well, it is useful to find
a teaching of the Buddha which is relevant to our present-day
problems. In the Pattakammavagga of the Anguttara Nikaya (A
II, 69) the Buddha preached a sutta to Anathapindika on the
fourfold pleasures of a layman. It is our considered opinion
that this sutta offers adequate insight to meet the demands of
the present-day problems as well. The four types of pleasure
listed there are: atthisukha, the pleasure of having material
wealth; bhogasukha, the pleasure of enjoying material wealth;
ananasukha, the pleasure of being debtless; and anavajjaskha,
the pleasure of being blameless. Let us take these for discussion
one by one and see how these sources of pleasure can be harnessed
for leading a happy life in the present-day world.

Atthisukha -- Man should not only have a righteous means of
living, avoiding blameworthy trades such as dealing in meat,
liquor, poison, firearms and slavery, he should also entertain
a wholesome attitude towards his righteous occupation. For
instance, if a doctor welcomes epidemics in the locality in order
to make much money, or a trader hopes for natural calamities to
send market prices up, the money earned by such unscrupulous
individuals is not righteous money as their intentions are
impure and foul. Also one should not deceive or exploit others
in carrying out one's occupation. Exerting oneself with great
perseverance, one should earn one's living, and such hard-earned
wealth is called righteous wealth (dhammika dhammaladdha). Again
one could have great wealth, but if one does not experience a
sense of contentment with what one has, one cannot really enjoy
atthisukha or the pleasure of having. The amassing of wealth of
such a person is like trying to fill a bottomless vessel. This
is one of the widespread maladies we see in the present-day
society. Inordinate expansion of wealth becomes a source not of
happiness, but of anxiety. Such wealth exposes the possessor to
the jealousies and maneuvers of other unscrupulous individuals,
hence the occurrence of blackmailing and kidnapping from time to
time. But if one does have a righteous means of earning one's
living and the correct attitude to wealth, one can escape many
of the hazards which money brings in its wake to modern man.

Bhogasukha -- Wealth has only instrumental value and the
proper enjoyment of wealth is an art which is worth carefully
cultivating. Buddhism deplores both extravagance and miserly
hoarding. One must maintain a healthy balanced standard of living
according to one's means. If, in the enjoyment of wealth, one
overindulges in sense pleasures, one is bound to run into health
hazards in a very short time. If, for instance, one overindulges
in food just because one can afford it, one will soon be
overcome by diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure
and diabetes. Such a one will be faced with the situation of
"cutting his neck with his own tongue." Moderation in food
is a virtue praised in Buddhism and it is a health-promoting
habit. Often in the name of enjoying wealth, man cultivates
unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking. It is paradoxical
that man, who actually loves himself most, should act as if he
were his own worst enemy by indulging in habits which ultimately
reduce him to a physical wreck. It is medically established
that smoking causes the highest percentage of lung cancer,
and that drinking causes irreparable damage to vital organs of
the body. If only one pauses to ponder over one's own welfare,
and if only one entertains at least some degree of compassion
towards oneself, one would not get into the clutches of these
vicious habits. Wealthy men often end up in the pitiful plight
of the ant fallen in the pot of honey. Such men did not know the
art of enjoying bhogasukha. They regard the body as an instrument
for pleasure, and they wear out and debilitate the body's
capacity for enjoyment in double quick time, long before the
natural process of wear and tear sets in. If we love ourselves,
we have to treat our bodies with proper care without taxing it
with overindulgence and deprivation. It is with the body that
we can enjoy not only the pleasures of the senses, but even
the spiritual bliss of Nibbana. Another aspect of the joy of
wealth is the art of sharing. Without being an Adinnapubbaka,
a "never-giver," if one learns to share one's riches with the
less fortunate have-nots, one will have the noble experience of
being happy at the joy of another. At the same time one will
learn the love and good will of others, instead of becoming
the target of jealousy and intrigue.

Ananasukha -- The pleasure of being debtless is the third quality
discussed in our sutta. Economically if one can be completely
free of debt, one is indeed a very fortunate person. To be
really debtless in society one has to discharge one's obligations
scrupulously. As a wage earner one has to discharge one's duties
for which one is paid, otherwise one can be indebted to the wage
one gets. As a parent one has to fulfill one's obligations to
one's children. In our society children are taught to worship
and look after their parents, and it is well to bear in mind
that parents too have to qualify themselves for the honor
they receive by being dutiful parents. It should be emphasized
that fathers who neglect their families as a result of their
addiction to vices such as drinking and gambling fall far short
of the ideal of debtlessness. One can have the satisfaction of
being debtless only if one has fulfilled one's obligations in
all social roles one has to perform.

Anavajjasukha -- The satisfaction of leading a blameless
life is the highest form of satisfaction that a layman can
have. Every society has a code of ethics to be followed by
its members. According to Buddhism the minimum code of ethics
regulating the life of its adherents is the pañcasila, the Five
Precepts.(Abstinence from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct,
false speech and intoxicants.) If one practices these virtues,
one can have the satisfaction of leading a righteous life to a
great extent. Refraining from doing to others what one does not
like others to do unto oneself is the basic principle underlying
these virtues. Buddhism speaks of hiri and ottappa, the sense
of shame and the fear to do wrong, as deva dhamma or celestial
qualities. These are the basic qualities which separate man
from the animal kingdom. Unlike the animals man has a conscience
which makes him squeamish about doing wrong. Buddhism recognizes
blameless mental activity as well. Mental activities which
spring from greed, hatred and delusion are unwholesome and
blameworthy. Let us see how such mental behavior is a source
of unhappiness. Take for instance the case of a person who
is angry. What are the symptoms of anger? Hard breathing,
accelerated heart beat, faster circulation of blood, feeling
hot, sweating, trepidation, restlessness, etc. -- these are
the physical manifestations of anger. These are certainly not
comfortable physical experiences. Each time the cause of anger
is remembered, even though the physical manifestations of anger
may not be that marked, one feels quite restless and mentally
ill at ease. We use expressions such as "boiling with anger,"
"I got the devil on to me," etc. to mean getting angry, and
these sayings are literally expressive of the situation. It
is just not possible for one to be angry and happy at the
same time. An irritable person is truly a very sad person,
and what is worse he infects others around him too with the
same sadness. The cultivation of sublime modes of behavior such
as loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity
are truly conducive to happy living. Those who live with such
attitudes habitually are pleasant and amicable people who can
be happy alone as well as in company.

If we truly understand the significance of the four kinds of
happiness elucidated in our sutta, and translate them into
action, life will be much more pleasant and happy even in this
modern age.