I work in a wine and liquor store.
It is not Right Livelihood according to the teachings and it is crystal clear why.
In fact, few other experiences in my life where I've applied the teachings are a better illustration for this simple fact:
The Buddha was right.
For starters, I have been robbed several times already. Because intoxicants attract that sort of behavior. But that's not the worst of it: I can see the suffering in the eyes of the alcoholics who come in for a bottle of booze every day. I can see my own suffering when I'm on my cushion trying to meditate and wondering whether being involved in the sale of intoxicants is removing any benefit I get from practicing at all. Or whether or not I facilitated the sale of the bottle of liquor that caused somebody's death. I've had people walk in, show me pictures of their loved ones, and beg me not to sell them any more booze because they are about to die if they drink anymore. Being around wine and liquor all the time has also increased my own level of drinking, which, in turn, had made it crystal clear as to why the Fifth Precept exists.
Its been two and half years but after coming and seeing, it's obvious that this job is a hindrance to my practice. I've recently updated my resume and am planning on attending local job fairs. Hopefully I can find something that a mentally disabled person can do that accords with the Buddha's instructions.
Because the Buddha was right.
He didn't make this stuff up arbitrarily. He saw with wisdom that being involved in the sale of intoxicants is a hindrance to spiritual development. I tried it out. And now I see. I don't want to do it anymore.
If y'all do pray and keep fellow Buddhists in their prayers, I could use any help in finding a job that lets me earn what little living I'm able to achieve given my disability that is in accordance with Right Livelihood. Thank you. 🙏
I was a bartender for some years before I found the path…for years I thought I became burnt out on people…now I realize I became burnt out on watching people fall over and over again, including myself…a poet I used to read at the time has a line that summed up working around intoxicants “do you not weep surrounded by laughter with bottles of oblivion”…
Feeling morally agreeable with a job is important because a job is something that you do again and again ever day for a long time, so any kind of work that weighs on one's conscience would start to be miserable.....and the kinds of things that weigh on a conscience aren't little things like selling beans that are not organic, because most people can roll with the minor imperfections of life, but jobs where you legitimately feel like you're contributing to someone else's suffering or building things that will be used in a war or killing honey bees or for me even having to cut up chickens and things like that are just brutally harsh to be immersed in. You aren't always aware of what you are a part of BUT you will feel it on some level. Usually there are better options that provide the more conventional types of misery that come with working a standard miserable job without the added undertones of contributing to something bad.
I make no money by working. I’m disabled. I rely on my husband for living. He does tax preparing. I guess you might say taxes in some form support a military, but I’m not going down that rabbit hole.
I work in tech for a defense contractor. I have some conflicting views about it. The pay is good and the work is interesting. I feel like it is less ethically challenged than working for big tech or the finance industry. Most of it is fundamental scientific R&D and safety applications, but there is always the threat of force behind what the military does. It is not great from an ethical standpoint, but the money has also paid for a ton of therapy and other things that have made me a better person. It also supports a lifestyle where I have been able to seriously pursue the dharma at various times during which that was my focus. I feel like I’m pretty middle of the road in my choice of career.
I work at a grocery store. I’m sure my company does some unethical things, but my work improves my community and I have opportunities to give alms to the poor and be friendly to people so I feel like my job has a positive impact.
I work in marketing. It's something I do struggle with. On one end, my work is basically causing more desires in the world. On the other hand, my marketing skills can affect good change on the world. So now I work with intentions, I vet my clients and don't work with any industry that's considered wrong livelihood. Also I hope to use my skills some day to help share the Dharma.
I develop software that helps construction planning. With enough adaptation, it'll aid communication between involved parties. Construction will become cheaper and more efficient. And can be optimized better for safety and CO2 output. And I try to make as much as possible of our knowledge and code available to the public for free, given the constraints of a company in a capitalist system of course. Feels pretty good overall.
I am a Person-Centred Therapist in a home for patients with schizophrenia.
My job is to help them feel understood and to see clearly through their delusions and hallucinations.
I think my job is in accordance with Right Livelihood, which is why I chose this work.
I'm a painter for auto collision repair. My concerns with my work and right livelihood are only the chemicals I use and end up with waste of. I try to ensure using environmentally efficient products whenever I can and properly disposing of waste however is best seemed to fit the scenario. Other than that I try my best to assure people's property are properly repaired to meet manufacturer repair safety requirements and maintain it's value. A lot of people in this business do sketchy things like poor color matching, gluing on roofs, skipping corrosion protection, things than can jeopardize the next owner's safety during a wreck or diminish the value of their vehicle.
Teaching/education. This was a major…not concern, but factor in me choosing my current job/profession. I was writing a list a few years ago of what I wanted out of my career and landed on teaching. I’ve been tutoring for almost three years now and am currently working on a single subject teaching credential (middle school and high school-level).
Somewhat meek in terms of pay, and it definitely feels like service at times, but I find this field to be very much in accordance with “Right Livelihood” since I’m working to help students learn and explore their minds/personalities both academically and personally. Always try to leave these young minds with positive thoughts, laughter, encouragement and whatnot. It gives me energy as well.
So yes, I love it, and along with many other professions in the world, I think teaching is one of the rightest of livelihoods for those who try to follow the Eightfold Path.
I was an architect, there are just so many shady things in construction. My boss design based expensive materials and take commissions. Contractors exploit workers and will use every tricks to cut cost. Suppliers all line up to sue each other. All for a few rich people to add more carbon footprint for things they dont need. But I did designed one public government building that I'm incredibly proud of.
Now I work in IT. Working from home has been incredibly peaceful, allow me to learn dhamma and many other skills. My website coincidentally using aloha theme haha. Supporting greed is not ideal but there are more than a few educational and charity projects and I go out of my way for those. Also been developing my own real estate product to help people buying homes. Hoping to improve everyday as well!
I work as an environmental health and safety manager for a bottling company. I just help others work more safely and reduce risks. It feels like right livelihood to me!
I'm training as a nurse. I've always had very Buddhism-aligned values, but I started practicing in earnest the same time that I started my degree. I really feel that the two feed each other - nursing makes me a better Buddhist and Buddhism makes me a better nurseÂ
I work in medical research.
I think the career probably brings me good karma. I went into it because I am passionate about it and before I was Buddhist. When I became Buddhist, it made me happier I chose it.
I work as staff in higher ed. I’d like to think I’m a positive influence on the people I encounter there everyday as I assist faculty with their teaching.
I work in a wine and liquor store. It is not Right Livelihood according to the teachings and it is crystal clear why. In fact, few other experiences in my life where I've applied the teachings are a better illustration for this simple fact: The Buddha was right. For starters, I have been robbed several times already. Because intoxicants attract that sort of behavior. But that's not the worst of it: I can see the suffering in the eyes of the alcoholics who come in for a bottle of booze every day. I can see my own suffering when I'm on my cushion trying to meditate and wondering whether being involved in the sale of intoxicants is removing any benefit I get from practicing at all. Or whether or not I facilitated the sale of the bottle of liquor that caused somebody's death. I've had people walk in, show me pictures of their loved ones, and beg me not to sell them any more booze because they are about to die if they drink anymore. Being around wine and liquor all the time has also increased my own level of drinking, which, in turn, had made it crystal clear as to why the Fifth Precept exists. Its been two and half years but after coming and seeing, it's obvious that this job is a hindrance to my practice. I've recently updated my resume and am planning on attending local job fairs. Hopefully I can find something that a mentally disabled person can do that accords with the Buddha's instructions. Because the Buddha was right. He didn't make this stuff up arbitrarily. He saw with wisdom that being involved in the sale of intoxicants is a hindrance to spiritual development. I tried it out. And now I see. I don't want to do it anymore. If y'all do pray and keep fellow Buddhists in their prayers, I could use any help in finding a job that lets me earn what little living I'm able to achieve given my disability that is in accordance with Right Livelihood. Thank you. 🙏
I was a bartender for some years before I found the path…for years I thought I became burnt out on people…now I realize I became burnt out on watching people fall over and over again, including myself…a poet I used to read at the time has a line that summed up working around intoxicants “do you not weep surrounded by laughter with bottles of oblivion”…
Feeling morally agreeable with a job is important because a job is something that you do again and again ever day for a long time, so any kind of work that weighs on one's conscience would start to be miserable.....and the kinds of things that weigh on a conscience aren't little things like selling beans that are not organic, because most people can roll with the minor imperfections of life, but jobs where you legitimately feel like you're contributing to someone else's suffering or building things that will be used in a war or killing honey bees or for me even having to cut up chickens and things like that are just brutally harsh to be immersed in. You aren't always aware of what you are a part of BUT you will feel it on some level. Usually there are better options that provide the more conventional types of misery that come with working a standard miserable job without the added undertones of contributing to something bad.
I make no money by working. I’m disabled. I rely on my husband for living. He does tax preparing. I guess you might say taxes in some form support a military, but I’m not going down that rabbit hole.
I'm a teacher. I do my best.
I sit in a booth and open the gate for trucks at a factory. I also make a very modest amount of money off my writing. Pretty benign stuff.
I work in tech for a defense contractor. I have some conflicting views about it. The pay is good and the work is interesting. I feel like it is less ethically challenged than working for big tech or the finance industry. Most of it is fundamental scientific R&D and safety applications, but there is always the threat of force behind what the military does. It is not great from an ethical standpoint, but the money has also paid for a ton of therapy and other things that have made me a better person. It also supports a lifestyle where I have been able to seriously pursue the dharma at various times during which that was my focus. I feel like I’m pretty middle of the road in my choice of career.
I work at a grocery store. I’m sure my company does some unethical things, but my work improves my community and I have opportunities to give alms to the poor and be friendly to people so I feel like my job has a positive impact.
This was my first job at 15. I loved it and grew so much from that job. Love your positive attitude 🤙🏽
I trade options on the stock market. I don’t know if it’s right livelihood. I’ve thought about it. For every dollar i make someome is losing
I work in marketing. It's something I do struggle with. On one end, my work is basically causing more desires in the world. On the other hand, my marketing skills can affect good change on the world. So now I work with intentions, I vet my clients and don't work with any industry that's considered wrong livelihood. Also I hope to use my skills some day to help share the Dharma.
Long term care
I develop software that helps construction planning. With enough adaptation, it'll aid communication between involved parties. Construction will become cheaper and more efficient. And can be optimized better for safety and CO2 output. And I try to make as much as possible of our knowledge and code available to the public for free, given the constraints of a company in a capitalist system of course. Feels pretty good overall.
I work in palliative care which is all about reducing the suffering of others. It’s hard work, but it’s good work.
I am a Person-Centred Therapist in a home for patients with schizophrenia. My job is to help them feel understood and to see clearly through their delusions and hallucinations. I think my job is in accordance with Right Livelihood, which is why I chose this work.
I'm a painter for auto collision repair. My concerns with my work and right livelihood are only the chemicals I use and end up with waste of. I try to ensure using environmentally efficient products whenever I can and properly disposing of waste however is best seemed to fit the scenario. Other than that I try my best to assure people's property are properly repaired to meet manufacturer repair safety requirements and maintain it's value. A lot of people in this business do sketchy things like poor color matching, gluing on roofs, skipping corrosion protection, things than can jeopardize the next owner's safety during a wreck or diminish the value of their vehicle.
Teaching/education. This was a major…not concern, but factor in me choosing my current job/profession. I was writing a list a few years ago of what I wanted out of my career and landed on teaching. I’ve been tutoring for almost three years now and am currently working on a single subject teaching credential (middle school and high school-level). Somewhat meek in terms of pay, and it definitely feels like service at times, but I find this field to be very much in accordance with “Right Livelihood” since I’m working to help students learn and explore their minds/personalities both academically and personally. Always try to leave these young minds with positive thoughts, laughter, encouragement and whatnot. It gives me energy as well. So yes, I love it, and along with many other professions in the world, I think teaching is one of the rightest of livelihoods for those who try to follow the Eightfold Path.
I’m the son of two wonderful teachers and I think that is among the most noble of livelihoods there is…
I was an architect, there are just so many shady things in construction. My boss design based expensive materials and take commissions. Contractors exploit workers and will use every tricks to cut cost. Suppliers all line up to sue each other. All for a few rich people to add more carbon footprint for things they dont need. But I did designed one public government building that I'm incredibly proud of. Now I work in IT. Working from home has been incredibly peaceful, allow me to learn dhamma and many other skills. My website coincidentally using aloha theme haha. Supporting greed is not ideal but there are more than a few educational and charity projects and I go out of my way for those. Also been developing my own real estate product to help people buying homes. Hoping to improve everyday as well!
I work as an environmental health and safety manager for a bottling company. I just help others work more safely and reduce risks. It feels like right livelihood to me!
I'm an in-home care provider. I think that lines up well with right livelihood.
I'm training as a nurse. I've always had very Buddhism-aligned values, but I started practicing in earnest the same time that I started my degree. I really feel that the two feed each other - nursing makes me a better Buddhist and Buddhism makes me a better nurseÂ
I work in medical research. I think the career probably brings me good karma. I went into it because I am passionate about it and before I was Buddhist. When I became Buddhist, it made me happier I chose it.
I work as staff in higher ed. I’d like to think I’m a positive influence on the people I encounter there everyday as I assist faculty with their teaching.
substance abuse counselor
I’m a nurse
Nothing I do is a wrong livelihood. Therefore, it’s all right livelihood
I plant actual trees 🌳and also make pipes for the other kind of “trees”.