The dharma of dollars: What
Buddhism says about money and meaning
August 25 2015 Chris Taylor,
Reuters
Buddhism, which holds that wealth is temporary and
no path to happiness, might not sound like the best source for money wisdom.
Not so, says Ethan Nichtern, the prominent Buddhist
teacher, who has written a new book, "The Road Home," on
self-awareness and spiritual seeking.
Money is unavoidable and it is people's attitude to
it that causes worry and stress, says Nichtern, who sat down with
Reuters to discuss how money fits into a spiritual approach to the
world.
Q: Can we escape our connection to money - or should
we?
A: We need to have some kind of system for measuring
how we consume, produce, and share. So there will always be money
in any complex society. And any human who wants to pay the rent has
to learn the rules of budgeting.
But it's not just a necessary evil. Money can also
be spiritual or divine, by powering whatever positive activity you
want to engage in.
Q: You were raised in money-centric New York City.
Did that shape your views?
A: Growing up on the Upper West Side and in the East
Village, I certainly realized how important money was. It
determines so much of the structure of our world, and it also
brings so much stress along with it. Especially in New York, people
feel burdened by the need for the security and status that money
brings. That's why we all need to open up and have this
conversation. I've never had the (billionaire) Koch Brothers in my
class, though - that could be awkward.
Q: Why is money seen as the solution to all our
problems?
A: In life, we are all wandering around in circles,
thinking that our next stop will be exactly what we have always
been looking for. But we never arrive - it's an illusion of an
oasis. It is the same thing with materialism: The idea that 'If I
get the right stuff, I will finally feel at home.' But we can never
acquire enough stuff.
Q: Why are we so dependent on something so
abstract?
A: First money was gold coins, then it was paper,
and at a certain point it just became computer files. Money has
become more and more abstract, and we are basically just agreeing
that this is the way things are. But that doesn't make it any less
powerful. Even though it is abstract, we cling to it as part of our
identity.
Q: People's foremost money worry is retirement. How
can we deal with that anxiety?
A: Buddhism teaches about cause and effect. So by
all means, prepare for retirement. There is nothing wrong with
that. But the other way to look at it is, if the mind is insecure,
then no amount of money will ever make us feel safe. Even if you
saved $50 million, you would just worry about something else, like
getting cancer or having a car accident. Just try to remember that
everyone else on earth has a similar anxiety. Then you won't feel
so alone. So plan well, and then let go.
Q: How can people use money as a positive
tool?
A: We are taught to use money in ways that isolate
us. But money is an exchange. If there was only one person in the
world, you could be a trillionaire, but it wouldn't even matter
because all that money would be worthless.
Think about how money connects you to other people.
From a Buddhist standpoint, you should think about how to use that
money to empower others.
Q: Any final messages about the possibilities of
money?
A: You can be an awakened human being, and also make
a living at the same time. When people say money is dirty, then
they are just leaving it all to people who don't have any spiritual
practices or values. That is an abdication of our responsibilities.
Those of us with compassion actually need to go deeper into these
arenas. With money, we can empower some very meaningful things in
the world.