Right Livelihood in Maha-Prajñaparamita Shastra

General forum on the teachings of all schools of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Topics specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Aemilius
Posts: 4604
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:44 am

Right Livelihood in Maha-Prajñaparamita Shastra

Post by Aemilius »

Samyagājīva (सम्यगाजीव, “right livelihood”) refers to the fifth of the Āryāṣṭāṅgamārga, or “eight members of the noble path”, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XXXI. Accordingly, “the fifth member (samyagājīva).—By means of a pure wisdom (anāsravaprajñā), to reject and eliminate the five bad ways of livelihood is right livelihood (samyagājīva)”.

Right livelihood (samyagājīva) according to Mahāyāna: “all foods (bhojana), all means of subsistence are right (samyak) and are not bad (mithyā). Established in a knowledge free of futile proliferation, the Bodhisattva does not choose right livelihood (samyagājīva) and does not reject wrong livelihood (mithyājīva). He does not depend on either the right law or the wrong law, but he remains always in pure knowledge. Penetrating thus into right living which is equality (samatā), he does not see life and does not see non-life. To practice this true wisdom (bhūtaprajñā) is what is called right livelihood (samyagājīva) [in the Bodhisattva]”.

source: Wisdom Library, Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
Post Reply

Return to “Mahāyāna Buddhism”