This is the fourth article in the series about
the Vinaya, that body of monastic rules and
traditions binding on every Buddhist monk and nun. In this article
I will discuss "wrong livelihood".
Buddhist monastics are called bhikkhus
(monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns), which literally means men
and women who rely on alms for the necessities of life. That is,
they depend solely on the generosity of lay supporters. However,
some monks, dissatisfied with the amount and uncertainty of alms,
have tried to secure a more comfortable lifestyle by practising
various crafts or trades and expecting a fee. This is called
wrong livelihood.
An exhaustive list of examples of wrong
livelihood can be found in the discourse of the Buddha called "Brahmajata
Sutta" which is in the section of the Tipitaka
called "Digha Nikaya". It includes such "priestcraft" as:
palmistry, fortune-telling, interpreting dreams, determining
propitious dates or sites, exorcism, reciting protective charms,
incanting malevolent spells (!), foretelling a person's remaining
lifespan, running errands for laypeople, casting astrological
charts and so on.
Even earning a living in, what would be for a
layperson, a good way such as practising medicine, is for a monk
wrong livelihood. There is a story in the Dhammapada Commentary of
such a monk who did very well out of practising as a doctor. One
day, this monk received the most delicious almsfood from a man
whom he had just successfully treated. On the way back to the
monastery, he met Ven. Sariputta, one of the leading disciples of
the Buddha, proudly told of his doctoring and offered some of his
delicacies to him. Ven. Sariputta was dismayed and walked away
without saying a word. Ven. Sariputta loved the simple tradition
of depending on alms and he would not eat what was obtained by
breaking the precepts, in this case through practising a craft for
personal gain. When he returned to the monastery and related this
incident to the Buddha, the Buddha recited the following stanzas:
"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is shameless is
coarse in thought, word and deed. He is arrogant like unto a
crow. He will secure a comfortable living through unlawful
means. On the other hand, life for a monk who has a sense of
moral shame is not easy." (Dhammapada 244-245)
It is allowable for a monk skilled in medicine
to treat people staying at the monastery, even to help those
visiting -- but not to make a business out of it.
In the texts there are several stories where
the Buddha, seeing an occasion to be of service, stopped while on
almsround to give an inspiring teaching to a layman. The layperson
would then run into the house and get some food to offer as a
"reward" but the Buddha would always refuse it. He explained that
Enlightened Ones do not teach for a fee. Teaching for personal
gain is also wrong livelihood. Teaching is a monastic's way of
giving, of serving, and it should never be regarded as a
profession, selling the teachings for material gain.
A corrupt monk who tells fortunes for money,
gives talks in exchange for gifts of practises any similar form of
wrong livelihood has a special name in Buddhism -- he is called
allajji (rhymes with Apache), meaning "shameless". Good
monks are advised to shun shameless ones and if a group of allajji
monks congregate in a neighbourhood the good monks are to go there
and send them away (as in Sanghadisesa 13).
To emphasise the seriousness of the offence of
wrong livelihood there is a well known quote from the Suttas. (The
quote should be well known anyway, for it was printed in our
newsletter two issues back!)
"There are, monks, these four stains
because of which the sun and moon glow not, shine not, blaze
not. What are these four?
Rain clouds ... snow clouds ... smoke and
dust ... and an eclipse. Even so, monks, there are these four
stains because of which monks and nuns glow not, shine not,
blaze not. What are these four? Drinking alcohol ... indulging
in sexual intercourse ... accepting the use of gold or money ...
and obtaining gifts through the wrong livelihood." (Anguttara
Nikaya 2.53)
It is clear, then, what the Buddha thought of
allajji monks who predict lottery numbers, give astrology
readings and so on, for personal gain. They are grouped along with
a monk who gets drunk, has sexual intercourse or keeps money.
Monks who practise wrong livelihood are a stain on the Sangha
should be known as such by the laypeople.
Ajahn Brahmavamso
(BSWA Newsletter, July-September 1996)