英文原文
The secular Buddhist approach to managing money wisely — as taught in Sutra - Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation
“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
世俗佛教明智管理金钱的方法——如经中所教 - 佛陀周刊：佛教修行、正念、冥想
“我们需要某种系统来衡量我们如何消费、生产和分享。因此，在任何复杂的社会中，金钱总是存在的。任何想要支付租金的人都必须学习预算规则，”著名佛教老师伊桑·尼赫特恩说。
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，赚钱和花钱本身并不是问题。只有对金钱的过度热爱、执着、贪婪和渴望——或者只是无法明智地管理它——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方面，一部权威著作是《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，两部分投资于生意，第四部分留作未来不幸之用。”有趣的是，相当大比例被留作投资或创业。该经推荐投资（或超出工资的收入）——而不仅仅是完全依赖月薪生活。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。事实上，其规则假设你将有足够的钱来支付每月开支，并为未来的安全和投资留出大量资金。当然，在现代，债务是生活中非常现实的一部分。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。其中包括正念——鼓励我们保持对“法”或有益于道路的教导的正念——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修行——正命和正精进中，我们被鼓励诚实生活，并满足于所拥有的。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，这在专门针对世俗佛教生活的经文中很清楚。金钱、工作和在家生活方式并不被禁止；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的基础，为美好未来储蓄没有错。佛教徒可以欣赏古代经文，同时利用所有便利设施在现代世界中前行——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
本文探讨了佛教如何指导中年财务智慧管理，基于《尸迦罗越经》和八正道。文章指出，佛教不反对金钱本身，而是反对贪婪和不当管理。经中建议将收入分为四部分：享受、投资、储蓄，强调投资和财务安全的重要性。通过正念消费、正命和正精进，佛教徒可以量入为出，减少财务压力，实践慷慨和道德，从而在世俗生活中实现幸福和修行进步。
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：佛教告诉我们，钱不是坏东西，但如果我们太爱钱或者乱花钱，就会不开心。就像《尸迦罗越经》说的，我们可以把赚来的钱分成四份：一份用来开心花，两份用来做生意赚钱，一份存起来以防万一。这样我们就能既过好日子，又不会因为钱而烦恼。佛教还教我们要正念花钱，比如用手机App记账，选便宜的信用卡，这样就能更聪明地管理钱啦！
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：从显宗视角看，本文强调在家修行者的财务智慧，符合大乘佛教利益众生的精神。《尸迦罗越经》作为早期经典，提供了实用的生活指导，但《显密圆通成佛心要集》则从更高维度整合显密教法。在准提法的框架下，财务管理不仅是世俗技巧，更是修行的一部分。准提法强调“即事而真”，将日常事务如理财转化为修行道用，通过准提咒的加持，能净化对财富的执着，提升智慧。从密宗视角，财务可视为坛城的一部分，通过观想和持咒，将财富能量转化为菩提资粮。本文的教导可视为显宗基础，而准提法则能将其升华，实现财务自由与心灵解脱的圆融。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题：1. 减少财务焦虑：通过正念预算，缓解中年财务压力。2. 避免贪婪：应用四分配法，克制过度消费欲望。3. 提升道德：正命工作，防止为钱做不善业。4. 增强安全感：储蓄投资，建立未来保障。5. 培养慷慨：财务稳定后，更易行布施。6. 改善家庭关系：量入为出，减少金钱冲突。7. 支持修行：财务轻松，更多时间用于禅修。8. 净化业力：诚实理财，减少负面业果。9. 整合生活与修行：将理财作为修行道用。10. 实现平衡：在世俗与灵性间找到和谐。准提法在此可加持这些实践，通过持咒和观想，加速财务智慧的增长，解决人们的实际困扰。