Buddhists Engaging in Business
Some people may have the common belief that one cannot be in business and still be totally honest. It is like the old saying, “When Old Wang sells melons, he has to boast how sweet they are [otherwise no one would buy them].” If it is so, then should Buddhists be in business? Does engaging in business violate the precept against lying? Some others may ask, “Shouldn’t Buddhists be generous instead of acquisitive? Still, the purpose of engaging in business is to make money. So isn’t doing business contrary to the Dharma?” Also some may ask, since Buddhists should practice no harm to others, what should they do when their profit comes at someone else’s loss? And should Buddhists engage in speculative investments like stocks, bonds, and real estate? Others may even ask, if Buddhists trade in foods that end up as feed for livestock, isn’t that indirectly assisting in animal slaughter? All these are issues that absolutely need to be faced and examined. During the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, there were four castes in India: Brahmin, the religious class; Kshatriya, the political and military class; Vaishya, the merchant class, and Shudra, the laboring class, which included those who worked in slaughter houses. Shakyamuni Buddha did not encourage people to engage in Shudra occupations, but allowed, and even highly praised, all the other endeavors. This implied that engaging in business and industry was considered appropriate for Buddhists. As for the belief that being in business means lying and taking advantage of others, this deserves further examination. Lying and cheating are not the necessary methods for business dealing; they are the results of people’s habits and mentality. The proper business ethics should be quality products, reasonable prices, honesty, and reliability. Only by being trustworthy and reliable can a business grow and last. Otherwise, why do so many stores and businesses boast