Right Livelihood (sammā-ājīva)
Skillful qualities / Noble Eightfold Path / Right Livelihood
Part of key topic The Noble Eightfold Path
See also: Work, Mutual lay/Saṅgha support
39 excerpts, 2:15:25 total duration

Events (1) All excerpts (39) Most relevant (36) Questions about (24) Answers involving (6) Stories (9) Quotes (4) Readings (4)

Right Livelihood, Session 1 – Apr. 21, 2013

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3. “Could you talk more about the particular professions that the Buddha laid out as wrong livelihood (AN 5.177)? Why is being in the military not on the list?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Military] [Right Livelihood ] // [Unskillful qualities] [Kamma] [Killing] [Intoxicants] [Rebirth]

Story: The widow of a wealthy man divests from Singha Beer. [Right Livelihood ] [Commerce/economics]


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4. “Is growing grapes right livelihood?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Intoxicants] [Commerce/economics] [Right Livelihood]

Story: The son of a winemaking family lives on the land but doesn’t participate in wine production. [Right Livelihood] [Family]


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5. “Can you speak about the people who sell these things [intoxicants] versus those who make them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Intoxicants] [Commerce/economics] [Right Livelihood] // [Kamma] [Volition]

Story: A clerk at an organic food store asks about selling wine. Told by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Right Livelihood]


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16. “Some people want to help but find themselves in situations in which profit dictates the priorities. How can they protect their integrity in such situations?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Health care] [Commerce/economics] [Right Intention] [Right Livelihood ] // [Learning] [Idealism] [Requisites] [Happiness]

Story: Ajahn Karuniko studies engineering, then quits a job in the arms industry to become a monk. [Right Livelihood ] [Military] [Monastic life/Motivation]


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29. Story: The head of Lalanka Water invites monks to stay above his office and teach the employees. Told by Ajahn Yatiko. [Work] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Teaching Dhamma] [Right Livelihood] // [Lunar observance days] [Eight Precepts] [Meditation] [Dhamma discussion] [Respect]

Story: The ultra-competent assistant who wants to ordain. [Monastic life/Motivation]

Story: The king’s assistant who dives into the water to get 20 pounds of gold (DN 17).


Right Livelihood, Session 2 – Apr. 21, 2013

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3. “Everyone in our group is struggling with issues about livelihood. Does anyone here feel their livelihood is in tune?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Idealism] // [Contentment] [Eightfold Path] [Kamma]

Quote: “Maybe it would be better phrased ‘Right-enough livelihood.’” — Ajahn Karuṇadhammo [Right Livelihood]

Story: An upright career police officer in Thailand transfers in and out of a corrupt assignment. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Livelihood] [Community] [Crime] [Corruption] [Family] [Precepts]

Comment by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Even monks face moral dillemas. [Monastic life] [Vinaya]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 3 – Nov. 21, 2016

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14. “I remember reading some stories of Ajahn Chah teaching lay people about herbal medicines. I know some Tibetan monks practice medicine. Is there such a tradition in Thailand? Are there any stores of Ajahn Chah healing people physically with traditional medicines?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Health care] [Medicinal requisites ] [Culture/Thailand] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Vinaya] [Right Livelihood] [Almsfood]

Recollection: Walking around the forest with Ajahn Chah. [Culture/Natural environment]

Story: Bung Wai villagers walk to Wat Pah Pong to practice meditation all night on Wan Phra. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Pah Pong] [Lunar observance days] [Monastic routine] [Meditation]

Story: Por Am argues with Ajahn Chah for three days. [Doubt] [Precepts]

Story: Ajahn Chah teaches Por Am to be a herbal doctor so he can keep the precepts. [Right Livelihood]

Recollection: The hunter-gatherer culture of Northeast Thailand. [Food] [Killing] [Geography/Thailand]


Practice in a Global Context – Aug. 12, 2017

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10. Story: Someone asks Ajahn Pasanno, “You’ve been putting a lot of effort into protecting forests in Thailand. Do you think the forests will be protected?” Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment] [Activism] [Politics and society] // [Learning] [Right Livelihood]


The New Ajahn Chah Biography, Session 3 – Apr. 21, 2018

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7. Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 647-648 “Por Am” Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] // [Right Livelihood] [Views] [Intoxicants]

Story: Ajahn Chah teaches Por Am herbal medicine so he can avoid killing animals. [Right Livelihood] [Culture/Thailand] [Food] [Precepts] [Medicinal requisites] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Health care] [Lunar observance days]

Quote: “It’s not possible to defeat the Dhamma, you know, and that’s why you fainted.” — Ajahn Chah to Por Am [Dhamma]