Day 5:  Right Livelihood

"You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way. Those meditative ones who tread the path are released from the bonds of Mara." ~ The Buddha (Dhammapada 276)

The final step in wholesome conduct is that of right livelihood. Traditionally, this means not killing, stealing, lying, engaging in sexual misconduct, and selling intoxicants. During the pandemic, many will have lost their jobs. This is due to quarantines, ‘stay at home’ orders, and generally economic effects of people buying less of certain products. This may be one of the most difficult of the Noble Eightfold Path, especially when you lose your job, reduced income, or other uncertainty. While it may seem ‘OK’ to just ‘temporarily’ having a job which allows you to ‘get by’, it can have unwholesome karmic influences.

Today, focus on the profession you have (such as being thankful for a wholesome job where you are not laid off), or if you are not as fortunate you should focus on the profession you want to have that is in line with the Buddhist life.

Focus

• Does my job cause more harm than good? Is it wholesome or unwholesome? Now is a time to reflect on your job, and what you want to do in life for a profession.
• If your job is not wholesome, what can you do to change it? Can the quarantine/stay at home period you may be in allow you to learn a new trade, skill, or job search?
• If you are unemployed now, the   anxiety and fear can be understandable. Transform your mind to see this as an opportunity to find the job  (or steppingstone jobs) towards a wholesome profession. Not all jobs need to be “perfect”, but they   should not cause you or others harm as that can cause unwholesome karmic   affects and derail your path in Buddhism.

Practice

• Continue to recite the Five Remembrances.
• Continue to Meditate,   at least once a day, starting with being mindful of the breath. For today, focus on professions that you   would find to be moral and wholesome in the Buddhist life and teachings. A drug dealer would be an example of an   unwholesome profession which causes a variety of negative outcomes, whereas a   pharmacist would be wholesome as they are medical professionals helping   others in concert with doctors.
• New Practice: Find what makes your current job right livelihood for you, and others, every time you go to work. If you do not have a job, or your current job is not wholesome, find what livelihood you will strive for. The path may be long, but your determination can aid you. Additionally, are you in a job, profession, or even have skills that can be used to help others in this situation?

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