Buddha's solutions to poverty

Individual and group responsibility in the elimination of poverty in a society as portrayed in Buddhist literature


"Dependant origination" or "Causal Genesis" (paticca Samuppada) is the most fundamental doctrine in the teachings of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This doctrine is of such paramount importance in Buddhism that it is sometimes equated with the Buddha's teachings. In the Mahahatthipadopama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya (Vol 1 p. 191) it is said: "He who understands dependant origination, understands correctly the teachings of the Buddha and he who thus understands the teachings of the Buddha truly understands who the Buddha was. The whole edifice of Buddhism is built up on this fundamental doctrine. Three current theories were refuted by this doctrine of causal genesis, namely, the theory of divine creation (issaranimmanavada), the theory of pre-destination (pubbekata hetuvada) and the theory of chance occurrence (adhiccasamuppanna vada) (S.II, p. 18-20). So, when we apply this fundamental doctrine of Buddhism to understand the problem of poverty in a county, how it has come to be and how to can be eliminated, Buddhism rejects the view that poverty is due to divine creation or that it is pre-destined or that poverty occurs without causes or conditions. Having rejected these three views, Buddhism maintains that, like all other phenomena, poverty, too, has come into being depending on causes and conditions. When we say that a thing has come into being depending on causes and conditions, the logical conclusion one can arrive at is that, with the changing or removal of those causes and conditions, there will take place a change or disappearance of that thing itself.


We see that poverty of people in a country too, is thus dependant in origination that means that it manifests itself when causes and conditions that give rise to poverty are present, and hence with the changing or removal of such causes and conditions, poverty, too, will wither away. It is not a permanent feature that persists for all time. An important discourse in the Digha Nikaya,,the Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta of the "Discourse of the lion's Roar of a Universal Monarch (D. III. 58-79) very vividly describes how an ancient people declined in all morals and ethical behaviour, due to neglect of duty on the part of the ruler of that country and how that same people subsequently became law abiding, duty conscious, disciplined, happy and content when the ruler reorganized the entire state machinery in such a way that there were plenty of employment opportunities for intellectual economic, spiritual and physical development of the people. This is how the argument runs: "Due to absence of employment opportunities, poverty became rampant. When poverty became rampant, some people resorted to stealing in order to live. When stealing became wide spread, wealth owners armed themselves with weapons to protect themselves and their wealth from thieves. The thieves, too, had to resort to weapons when wealth owners armed themselves with weapons. This resulted in conflict and clashes, ending in death or physical injury to many – to thieves as well as to wealth owners. When the thieves were caught and were produced before courts of law they uttered falsehood and offered bribes to escape punishment. In this way the entire society became afflicted and disorganized, and people had to live in constant fear and doubt. When the situation deteriorated to a very low level the ministers sat in council and advised the king to take suitable measures to rectify the situation. On their advice the king implemented a crash programme to provide people with employment opportunities. Now, those people who earlier resorted to stealing and other forms of anti-social behaviour began to engage themselves in many socially beneficent activities that brought them good incomes; and thus the need to resort to stealing, falsehood and other forms of corruption did nor arise and once again peace, prosperity and goodwill prevailed in the country".



A similar idea is expressed in another Buddhist discourse that occurs in the Digha Nikaya called the Kutadanta Sutta or the "Discourse to Kutadanta" (D.I p.127). There it is said that an ancient king wanted to perform a magnificent sacrificial ceremony to avert peril form evil spirits. When he summoned his counselors to discuss the programme, they unitedly expressed: "Your Majesty, the country is already in a chaotic condition. Poverty is wide spread and many people have resorted to stealing and committing other crimes, because they have no other way of earning a living. Due to these things the general moral standard has reached its lowest ebb. When the situation is such, if the king decides to perform this great sacrificial ceremony involving great expenditure and forced labour that means more burdens will have to be laid on the already taxed and tormented people. If that happens more and more people will resort to stealing and committing many other crimes and the situation will go from bad to worst. Your Majesty might think that by rounding up the wrong-doers and by punishing them severely or by imprisoning them, it might be possible to restore peace and harmony in the country, but it will not happen, because, when some thieves are given capital punishment or imprisonment, many others will take their place to torment the country. What your Majesty should immediately do is to pacify the people by providing them with suitable employment opportunities so that they can earn an income to support themselves and their families. "The king followed the advice of the counselors and implemented a suitable pregramme to solve the unemployment problem of the country and before long the conditions of the country changed for the better and peace and harmony prevailed once again in the country.


Now, all these episodes are meant to drive into our minds that human beings are by nature almost the same at all times, then and now, but prevailing environmental factors make them saints or scoundrels and therefore, responsible human beings should Endeavour to change the social environment in such a way that human beings living in such environments can develop their potentialities in the right direction, for the benefit of the individual and the community.




As far as the individual is concerned, Buddhism teaches that one is one's own master (atta hi attano natho-kohi natho parosiya) (Dhp. V. 160). That means that one is to a great degree responsible for one's own progress or degeneration. In the Pattakamma Vagga of the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha says that a man with vision and initiative can enjoy a fourfold happiness throughout life. They are: happiness derived when one sees that one has enough wealth and monetary resources (atthisukka), happiness derived when one sees that one's wealth is properly and profitably utilized (bhogasukha), happiness derived when one knows that one is not in debt (ananasukha), and the happiness derived when one sees that one lives a blameless and useful life (anavajjasukha). A person can experience the first kind of happiness if he has energetically developed his potentialities form childhood to gather knowledge, experience and various types of skills through which he is able to earn and accumulate wealth, in a righteous manner, without causing hardship or embarrassment or damage to others. A man who manufactures and trades in weapons of destruction, a man who trades in animals and flesh, a man who produces and sells harmful drugs, alcohol and poison, a man produces pornographic literature, blue films and the like, cannot enjoy this happiness, though he may have accumulated a fortune from such things, because his conscience will keep on pricking him all the time when he ponders over how he earned his wealth. The second type of happiness is derived when one sees that one's wealth is property utilized. One should eat well, dress well and live in comfort and safety. One should also provide for the needs and comforts of one's kith and kin treat friends and neighbors fairly and should also engage in social welfare work. When one sees that one's well gotten wealth is properly utilized in this manner, one derives a happiness there from. A person though rich, if he does not spend adequately for his own comforts and needs, if he does not spend his wealth to make his kith and kin comfortable and happy, if he does not treat his friends and neighbours when the need for it arises, if he does not spend anything for social welfare work, he cannot enjoy the second type of happiness one derives from proper utilization of one's wealth. The third type of happiness is derived from non-indebtedness. Though one may earn much, if he becomes a spend thrift and resorts to gambling, drinking and debauchery, one's wealth would vanish in no time and one would fall into debt. Such a person cannot enjoy any peace of mind. He will be in constant fear and sorrow. On the other hand, a man who earns well and utilizes that money properly and sagaciously will never fall into debt. Buddhism teaches how a person should plan his economics. One's income should be divided into four parts. One part should be used for personal and family needs, such as food clothing and medicine, two parts should be invested as financial investments in banks or to buy property, and the fourth part should be set apart for emergencies. When one plans one's economy wisely in this manner, one will not fall into debt, and thereby one derives happiness and peace of mind. The fourth type of happiness is derived by one when one sees that one lives a harmless and blame free life, a life that is positively beneficial to oneself and many others. One who does not destroy or injure living beings, one who does not steal, one who does not misbehave in the senses, one who does not utter falsehood, slander, harsh speech and gossip, one who does not resort to drugs or narcotics and the like, only, can enjoy the fourth type of happiness.


A programme of work consisting of eight factors (Vism. Chp. III, p.295) is recommended by Buddhism to every individual to make his life here and now happy and content. Firstly, he has to develop correct attitudes and views about life. He has to realise that life is sacred to each and every living being, that beings resent suffering and wish to live in happiness and in comfort, and that all should behave in such a way that community life becomes pleasant and trouble-free to all (sammaditthi-right views). Secondly, having formed such views, one should be well disposed towards all sentient beings and harbour thoughts of friendship and non-violence (samma sankappa – right thoughts). Thirdly, of should use speech in such a way that while avoiding all social conflicts arising out of wrong speech, his speech should result in friendship, efficiency, harmony and peace in society (sammavaca – right speech). Fourthly, all his physical actions should not only be non-injurious to any living being, but positively useful to some being (samma kammanta – right action). Fifthly, whatever activities he would be engaged in, by way of earning a living, should not only be harmless to himself and to others, but should positively be useful to himself and others (samma ajiva- right livelihood). Sixthly, one should always be energetic and courageous to avoid all pitfalls in life and pursue on the path to progress and happiness, with determination (samma vayama – right effort). Seventhly, one should always be alert and vigilant about all his activities, what he thinks, what he speaks and what he does, so that he is able to avoid in time whatever thing is injurious to him and others and to pursue whatever thing is useful to him and others (samma sati – right mindfulness), and eighthly, one should practice meditation or mental culture to overcome and eliminate psychological weakness in him and to cultivate and nurture wholesome psychological tendencies (samma Samadhi – right concentration of mind).


Buddhism also speaks of four supreme psychological states (brahmavihara) (Vism.p.III) that each individual should cultivate and develop in him for his own happiness and welfare and the welfare of others in society. Firstly, one's disposition should be one of friendship and love to all sentient beings. One should always wish for the happiness of all=one's own self, one's kith and kin, friends, neighbours, country-men-in fact all sentient beings (metta – loving kindness). This attitude should cover the whole universe, not only human beings, but all other beings as well. When one has in him friendship and loving kindness to all beings, naturally one would be psychologically moved when one sees some being in an unfortunate situation or in a pitiable condition, under going hardship agony or sorrow. When a sympathetic person sees one in such a situation, he will do something himself, to help the suffering being to minimize its suffering or to completely overcome it. If it is not within his power to do it himself, he will not keep quiet, but will persuade others to do something to help the unfortunate being (karuna - sympathy). When he sees other beings living in comfort peace and happiness, when he sees beings who were in dire circumstances get out of such circumstances, he will experience a feeling of happiness himself, an altruistic happiness born at the sight of another's happiness (mudita) an lastly, he should be able to maintain equipoise or balance of mind in all situations in life-in gain or loss, in fame or ill-fame, in praise or blame and in happiness or suffering (upekkha - equipoise).


Buddhism advocates that each individual has to strive hard to improve himself, but it is not blind regarding the role the environment plays in the molding of the character of an individual. Man is essentially a social being, and many people play a wide role to feed him, care for him in illness, and protect him from possible calamities from all directions and gradually introduce him to the world at large. When he grows up a little, other people come into the scene-teachers, friends and the like-who too play active parts in molding his character. Next comes a very important person, the wife on whom depends a man's success and happiness in life. The wife is followed by children, who too, contribute an important share in the happiness of a man. Buddhism is quite aware of these situations and hence in another important discourse, the Sigalovada sutta (D.III.p.80ff) describes in detail the duties and obligations of an individual to all who matter in his life-parents, teachers, wife and children, relations, friends, religious men, servants and subordinates.




Buddhism does not close its eyes to the importance of the role the state has to play in ensuring the happiness and well being of man. Discussing the origin of state and kingship, the Buddha says in the Agganna sutta (D.III.p.93) that the earliest king was elected from among the people themselves, to look after the interests of all people and that the king could hold on to that position only in so far as he was able to perform his duties and obligations to the people on a righteous and fair manner. Buddhism reiterates that it is the sacred duty of a king or state to ensure human rights to every citizen, to provide facilities for intellectual, cultural, material and physical development of every man in the country. In this respect another Buddhist text (jVol.1, 260-99) mentions ten qualities that should be there in a king or ruler to ensure human rights to all citizens. The ten qualities are: a king should be generous, he should have his senses under control, he should be ready to make sacrifices, he should be straight forward, he should be gentle and king, he should be able to suffer hardship for the people, he should be from anger and resentment, he should be compassionate to all, he should be tolerant and he should be approachable.


In conclusion, it should be added that poverty in all its forms-intellectual, spiritual, material or social, can be minimized or completely eliminated only by a well thought out and properly planned programme of work, where in all sections of people should contribute their share-individually or as organized groups. Form the angel of the individual, each individual should be encouraged to develop his potentialities to the maximum capacity so that he can contribute something to ease poverty while looking after his own interests. He must be trained to live a simple life, utilizing for him the minimum of needs, so that he can make a sacrifice to help others in need. From the point of welfare and religious organizations, they can raise funds form suitable sources and organize welfare activities, such as running homes for the aged homes for children and the destitute, organizing work camps to educate people, finding employment opportunities for the jobless and doing relief work, wherever necessary. The biggest role has to be played by the state. The rulers should be farsighted and state man like, efficient and honest. They must study the problems of the country and the people, minutely and implement suitable programmes efficiently to solve whatever problems there are in the country. The state policies should be planned in such a way that there will be enough employment facilities, for all people. The ultimate responsibility of eliminating the poverty of any people rests with the state and individuals and welfare organizations can only give a helping hand to the state, if the state makes a sincere attempt to solve the problem. There is one thing that religious organizations can do, to help solve the problem of poverty, that is, they can appeal to developed countries who waste away a lot of money to produce weapons of war and destruction, to stop the arms race and utilize at least a part of that money to nourish the millions of unfortunate human beings all over the world

Dr. W.G. Weeraratne