Eastern Religions and Money

Hinduism Overview

• Based on the beliefs and behaviors of people
• Do your Dharma get good Karma
• Birth-Death-Rebirth=Reincarnation
• Caste System- Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Shudras, Dalit
• End goalis to be set free from rebirth and merge with Brahmin (The God)
• Next life is based on actions in the previous life

Hinduism and Money

• Wealth (artha) is considered one of the chief aims in human life and is meant to be gained in honest and lawful ways
• Dharma tells Hindus to work hard and earn money so they can support their family

Hinduism and Money

• Vidishi Sharma was a high school senior in NYC when she went turned a simple concept about money into a complex religious question for herself
• After studying the sacred Hindu Texts she came to the conclusion that when it comes to Hinduism money isn't viewed in a good or bad way, but a unit of survival

Explanation

• The Gita does not demand a retraction from the modern world into ascetic meditation. Money is an essential unit for functioning in today's society. Hindus can fulfill their duties and rightfully earn money by abandoning selfish motives and attachments to the results of our work.

Jainism Overview

• Non-Violence is key
• THe 5 Great Vows- Truth, Celibacy, No stealing, No violence(to all living things), No possessiveness
• All living things are equal
• Goal is to become a perfected soul

Jainism and Money

• Jains set themselves free from materialistic things so that being set free from the cycle of rebirth isn't such a challenge
• They set their spiritual karma above accumulating materials

Jainism and Money

• Nisha Kapashi who was once a successful fashionista in NYC who didnt find true happinees in life until all of her possessions were taken away as she became a Jain nun
• Her life away from a city where money is everything is her ultimate happiness

Explanation

• The last of the 5 great vows is non-possessiveness which they believe leads to attachment to worldly objects resulting in the bondage to the cycle of rebirth.
• Jainism believes that the more a person possesses in worldly wealth the more he may be unhappy and the more likely he is to commit sin, both physically and mentally.

Buddhism Overview

• The root of all suffering is desire
• The 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold path form the foundation of their beliefs
• The goal of Buddhism is nirvana — deliverance of the mind

Buddism and Money

• The more possessions someone has the more stress they will encounter
• Their challenge is to live in a material culture without getting snared by the materialistic things

Buddhism and Money

• Elizabeth Dunn is a Buddhist professer at British Columbia. She decided to take a non Buddhist published article and add her Buddhist insight into it.
• She stated that money should be put on the low list because it is a 'false refuge'

Explanation

• Buddha encouraged making money. Buddhist validate their wealth by giving away their money for a good purpose which is the pursuit of wellbeing, truth, and goodness.
• Buddha believed that money cannot bring anyone true happiness