Happiness and economic progress : a Buddhist perspective
Item abstract only
Author
Ash, Colin See all items with this value
Date
2006
Volume
7
Pages
295-310
ISSN
1530-4108 See all items with this value
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to unravel a traditional Buddhist teaching of kamma-vipaka with the aid of some modern economic analysis.
The traditional teaching is that generosity, particularly religious dana, results in material prosperity. From this perspective, present wealth is a mark of past good deeds. Religious dana is the provision by lay people of material support for the monastic Sangha - monks and nuns (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis).
So the question posed in the title of this paper focuses on the following: is supporting the Sangha “good” for the economy? The economist’s answer given here is yes, but only if the Sangha are “good” monks and nuns.
“Buddhism has been the religion of merchants from its earliest days, and the spread of Buddhism been accomplished by the mercantile community”. Lancaster (1997, p.9)
“Virtually every commercial transaction has within itself an element of trust, certainly any transactions conducted over a period of time. It can be plausibly argued that much of the economic backwardness in the world can be explained by a lack of mutual confidence.” Arrow (1972, p.357)
The traditional teaching is that generosity, particularly religious dana, results in material prosperity. From this perspective, present wealth is a mark of past good deeds. Religious dana is the provision by lay people of material support for the monastic Sangha - monks and nuns (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis).
So the question posed in the title of this paper focuses on the following: is supporting the Sangha “good” for the economy? The economist’s answer given here is yes, but only if the Sangha are “good” monks and nuns.
“Buddhism has been the religion of merchants from its earliest days, and the spread of Buddhism been accomplished by the mercantile community”. Lancaster (1997, p.9)
“Virtually every commercial transaction has within itself an element of trust, certainly any transactions conducted over a period of time. It can be plausibly argued that much of the economic backwardness in the world can be explained by a lack of mutual confidence.” Arrow (1972, p.357)