How to acquire wealth that can lead to happiness and prosperity

Buddha has proposed four ways in which you can achieve happiness and prosperity through your wealth. These are:

1. Being cautious (Arakkhasampada)

You have to be careful in money matters or business ventures. Know first what you're investing in and who you're dealing with. Learn all about the essential facts before coming to a decision.

2. Being vigilant (Utthanasampada)

Unless you were born with a silver spoon, most probably, you've spent blood, sweat and tears in achieving your wealth. Hence, be vigilant and have an inquisitive mind in ensuring that all aspects are secure and safe.

3. Living within your means (Samajivikata)

Being wealthy can mean having a middle-income paycheck but still being happy. If you live within your means, whatever income you have can be considered your wealth because you haven't incurred debts. Provide only what is essential.

On the other hand, Buddha has warned his followers against the danger of hoarding or extravagant spending. These extremes are discouraged. Moderation is the key to happiness, prosperity and success.

4. Being able to have meaningful relationships (Kalyanamittata)

For you to be happy through your wealth, you have to cultivate your relationships with people around you; friends whom you can trust and obtain support from.

Lots of wealthy people remain unhappy because they don't have family members or friends to trust and share their sadness or joy with. That's why we hear people often say, "It's lonely on top." In their desire to become wealthy, they have forgotten the most important aspect of their wealth - their loved ones.

Don't follow that path. Be wise and learn from other peoples' mistakes. A cliche nicely puts it this way: "Treat well the people you meet on your way up because they'll be the same people you'll encounter on your way down."

How to spend wealth to attain happiness and prosperity

You should not only derive happiness and prosperity from the acquisition of your wealth, but you must also attain these two in spending your wealth. Your money is there to spend wisely and conscientiously. With regards to this, Buddha has these views:

Wealth should be shared (Bhogasukha)

Bhogasukha is included anew in this category. This emphasizes its importance in your quest for happiness. Buddha likened a person, who shares his wealth, to a clear, crystalline, and clean lake in a town where everyone can drink from. The lake nourishes people and helps them live a happy life, as well.

The people you can share your wealth with can include the following:

• Yourself
• Wife
• Parents
• Children
• Colleagues
• Friends
• Brahmins (Priests) - This can also mean charitable institutions

In addition, offerings can be for the following:

• Departed ancestors (petabali)
• Kings Tax (rajabali)
• Relatives (natibali)
• Gods (devabali)
• Guests (atithibali)

It seems that Buddhists have several ways to share and spend their wealth. For them, these are all part of good spending and sharing.

Adapt the principles that are applicable in your setting. Remember this: the act of helping others and the knowledge that you've made other people happy will make you happy as well. Therefore, try extending a helping hand. It never fails to satisfy.

How ethics can promote happiness and prosperity

Wealth that is acquired through legal and ethical means is the ideal method to gain happiness and prosperity. This is because your conscience is clear; you haven't harmed anyone in anyway. If you commit any wrongdoing, your conscience will be your greatest enemy. Hence, how does Ethics promote happiness and prosperity?

The list below will reveal the principles that Buddhists apply:

1. Observe the Law of Causality (Paticcasamupada)

This is the Law of Kamma or Karma, in which actions of your own volition will be rewarded accordingly. According to Buddhists, through the higher spiritual state (abhinna), Buddha was able to discern this universal law.

Whether you're a (Zen) Buddhist or not, Karma has been proven to be true throughout the history of mankind. Good begets good and vice versa. If you live by the sword, you'll die by the sword, so to speak.

2. Duties and obligations must be fulfilled

While you're making yourself wealthy, don't forget your moral duties and obligations. Fulfill your duties to yourself, to your parents, wife, children, colleagues, friends, employer, employee, religious persons, teachers and students.

You have the duty to respect, love, support, and perform the chores that you're supposed to do. You have to accomplish these duties to each of these persons accordingly to be able to achieve your goal. When all of these obligations are fulfilled, relationships improve and happiness and prosperity naturally follows.

3. Actions that inflict pain and injury are bad actions (Ambalatthika Rahulovadasutta)

Your actions should not inflict pain, injury and suffering. If they do, they're bad actions. Likewise, good actions are those that have the opposite effect.

4. Practice the principle of anatta

The principle that other people and you are one, therefore, you should treat them as you treat yourself. This is similar to The Golden Rule: "Do to others, what you would like them to do to you."

5. Sacrifice to attain success

You'll have to learn how to sacrifice to obtain your wealth and happiness the ethical way. Nothing is permanent in this world. This indicates that you'll have to focus on the "they", just like you do with the "I."

Buddhism is an interesting way of life which deals with moderation and selflessness. The principles are sensible and can be applied to our existing society nowadays. You don't have to become a Buddhist to implement these effective principles in your life. Go for it, and live a life filled with happiness and prosperity.

Source jesseneo