英文原文
The secular Buddhist approach to managing money wisely — as taught in Sutra
“We need to have some kind of system for measuring how we consume, produce, and share. So there will always be money in any complex society. And any human who wants to pay the rent has to learn the rules of budgeting,” says Ethan Nichtern, a renowned Buddhist teacher.
His words remind us that although accumulating wealth is no path to happiness, everyone – including lay or secular Buddhists – need to thrive in society, meeting their needs such as food and housing, but even to save for a rainy day. Making and spending money itself isn’t a problem in secular Buddhism. Only an excessive love of money, attachments, greed and craving — or just an inability to manage it wisely — are obstacles to the Buddhist Path, and the way of happiness.
Teachings from the Sigalovada Sutra
One of the definitive works when it comes to practical advice on how to live a householder’s life (i.e. a non-monastic Buddhist), and manage money is the Sigalovada Sutra — which counsels lay Buddhists on a host of daily matters, including money, work, saving, family responsibilities. Concerning money management, the sutra recommends that one’s earnings be divided into four. “One part should be enjoyed, two parts invested in a business, and the fourth set aside against future misfortunes.” Interestingly, quite a large percentage is set aside for investment or entrepreneurship. The sutra recommends investment (or income that lies beyond a salary) — not just living exclusively off monthly pay. By removing the “stress” and suffering of financial woes, the lay Buddhist is better able to practice generosity, right livelihood — a precept —and ethics. Financial security reduces the pressure to generate negative karma.
Living within our means help us follow the Eightfold Path
The sutra does not refer to credit. Indeed, its rules assume that you will have enough both to meet monthly expenses and set aside a significant amount for future security and investments. Or course in modern times, debt is very much a fact of life. What the sutra shows us is how to live within our means to allow us to follow the Buddhist Precepts, the rules of abstinence from taking life, taking what is not given, unchastity, false speech, and so on.
We can look to The Buddhist Eightfold Path, which provides our core teachings to reduce or eliminate suffering. These include Right Mindfulness – which encourages us to remain mindful of the “Dhammas” or teachings that are beneficial to the path — including, in the Sigalovada Sutra, to spend wisely and mindfully. Thus, we might draft a budget, use modern apps like Mint or PocketGuard to identify potential excess expenditure, and look at credit in a mindful manner too. Instead of choosing the first credit card they see, mindful spending would involve analyzing different options and opting for credit cards with lower interest or more favorable terms as a whole.
Right Livelihood and Right Effort
In Right Livelihood and Right Effort, two practices explained in the Eightfold Path, we are encouraged to live honestly, and to live happily with what they have. This can help avoid excessive cravings for luxury and the temptation to gain possessions in an unlawful or selfish manner. The concept of Right Livelihood goes further, encouraging us to shun extreme materialism and to exercise generosity with those in need.
The idea that we should live in a minimalistic fashion is more a monastic ideal, than a Buddhist concept, which is made clear in sutras dedicated to secular Buddhist living. Money and working and lay lifestyle is not prohibited; what is discouraged is greed, attachments and the unethical conduct that arises because of them. As long as lay practitioners and their business ventures are mindful and have an honest basis, there is nothing wrong with saving for a good future. Buddhists can appreciate ancient sutras while making their way through the modern world with all its conveniences – including handy apps that can keep them on the right track!
中文翻译
世俗佛教的明智理财方法——如经典所教
著名佛教老师Ethan Nichtern说：“我们需要某种系统来衡量我们如何消费、生产和分享。所以在任何复杂社会中，金钱总是存在的。任何想支付租金的人都必须学习预算规则。”
他的话提醒我们，虽然积累财富不是通往幸福的道路，但每个人——包括在家或世俗佛教徒——都需要在社会中茁壮成长，满足食物和住房等需求，甚至为雨天储蓄。在世俗佛教中，赚钱和花钱本身不是问题。只有对金钱的过度热爱、执着、贪婪和渴望——或者只是无法明智管理——才是佛教道路和幸福之路的障碍。
《尸迦罗越经》的教导
关于如何过在家生活（即非僧侣佛教徒）和管理金钱的实用建议，决定性著作之一是《尸迦罗越经》——它指导在家佛教徒处理许多日常事务，包括金钱、工作、储蓄、家庭责任。关于财务管理，该经建议将收入分为四部分。“一部分应享受，两部分投资于业务，第四部分留作未来不幸之用。”有趣的是，相当大比例留作投资或创业。该经推荐投资（或超出工资的收入）——而不仅仅是靠月薪生活。通过消除财务困境的“压力”和痛苦，在家佛教徒能更好地实践慷慨、正命——一条戒律——和道德。财务安全减少了产生负面业力的压力。
量入为出帮助我们遵循八正道
该经没有提到信贷。确实，其规则假设你将有足够的钱来支付每月开支，并为未来安全和投资留出大量资金。当然在现代，债务是生活的事实。该经向我们展示的是如何量入为出，使我们能够遵循佛教戒律，即戒除杀生、偷盗、邪淫、妄语等规则。
我们可以参考佛教八正道，它提供了减少或消除痛苦的核心教导。这些包括正念——鼓励我们保持对“法”或有益于道路的教导的觉知——包括在《尸迦罗越经》中，明智和正念地消费。因此，我们可能会制定预算，使用像Mint或PocketGuard这样的现代应用程序来识别潜在的过度支出，并以正念的方式看待信贷。正念消费不是选择他们看到的第一张信用卡，而是分析不同选项，并选择整体上利息较低或条件更优惠的信用卡。
正命和正精进
在八正道中解释的两种实践——正命和正精进中，我们被鼓励诚实生活，并快乐地拥有他们已有的东西。这有助于避免对奢侈品的过度渴望，以及以非法或自私方式获取财产的诱惑。正命的概念更进一步，鼓励我们避开极端物质主义，并对有需要的人实践慷慨。
我们应该以极简方式生活的想法更多是僧侣的理想，而不是佛教概念，这在致力于世俗佛教生活的经典中很清楚。金钱、工作和在家生活方式不被禁止；不鼓励的是贪婪、执着以及由此产生的不道德行为。只要在家修行者和他们的商业冒险是正念的并有诚实基础，为美好未来储蓄没有错。佛教徒可以欣赏古老经典，同时在现代世界中前行，利用所有便利——包括能让他们保持在正确轨道上的便捷应用程序！
文章概要
本文探讨了世俗佛教如何通过经典教导明智理财，特别聚焦中年阶段的财务正念实践。文章以《尸迦罗越经》为核心，介绍了佛教对金钱管理的实用指导，如将收入分为四部分用于消费、投资和储蓄，强调量入为出以避免贪婪和执着。结合八正道中的正念、正命和正精进，文章提倡在现代生活中运用预算工具和正念消费，实现财务安全与道德生活的平衡，帮助中年人在满足物质需求的同时减少痛苦，促进修行。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容
这篇文章就像一本古老的智慧书，教我们怎么管好自己的零花钱。它说，赚钱花钱不是坏事，但不要太贪心，就像我们玩游戏不能只想着买装备而忘了学习。书里教我们把钱分成四份：一份用来买喜欢的东西，两份存起来做点小生意，还有一份留着以防万一。这样我们就能既开心又安全，还能帮助别人。它还提醒我们要诚实花钱，用手机软件看看自己是不是花太多了，就像检查作业一样认真。这样我们就能在长大过程中，既会赚钱又会做人，生活得更快乐。
佛学的各个宗派视角评价，突出《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角
从佛学宗派视角看，本文体现了大乘佛教在家修行的智慧，与《显密圆通成佛心要集》中“即事而真”的理念相契合。该集强调显密圆融、世出世间不二，本文所述财务正念实践正是此精神的现代表达。在显宗层面，《尸迦罗越经》的教导属于声闻乘经典，但大乘佛教将其纳入菩萨道修行，视为积累资粮、利益众生的方便。从密宗视角，准提法注重“即身成佛”，财务管理可视为对治贪执、净化业力的修行，通过正念消费转化烦恼为菩提。本文突出准提法的优点在于其圆融性：它不否定世俗生活，而是将理财转化为修行道用，帮助中年人在尘世中修持菩提心，这正是显密圆通的核心——在生活中实践佛法，以智慧驾驭财富，而非被财富所缚。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题
在修行实践上，本文内容可应用于解决人们的十个问题：1. 财务焦虑问题，通过四分配法建立安全感；2. 消费冲动问题，借助正念消费培养自制力；3. 职业迷茫问题，以正命指导选择合乎道德的工作；4. 家庭责任压力，学习经典中的家庭伦理平衡收支；5. 投资恐惧问题，将投资视为积累福报的途径；6. 债务困扰问题，通过量入为出避免过度借贷；7. 物质执着问题，用正念减少对奢侈品的渴望；8. 时间管理问题，结合正精进提高工作效率；9. 人际关系紧张，以慷慨布施改善社交；10. 生命意义困惑，将财务管理融入修行提升灵性成长。这些应用展现了大乘佛教的慈悲与智慧，帮助人们在日常生活中实现财务与心灵的双重富足。