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
世俗佛教的智慧理财方法——如经中所教 著名佛教导师伊桑·尼赫滕说：“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。” 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。 《善生经》的教义 关于如何过在家生活（即非僧侣佛教徒）和管理金钱的权威著作之一是《善生经》——它为在家佛教徒提供了许多日常事务的建议，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。“一部分应用于享受，两部分投资于事业，第四部分留作未来不幸之用。”有趣的是，相当大比例的资金被留作投资或创业。该经建议投资（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，在家佛教徒能够更好地实践慷慨、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资金来支付每月开支，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义。其中包括正念——鼓励我们保持对“法”或有益于道路的教义的觉知——包括在《善生经》中，明智和觉知地消费。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，并以觉知的方式看待信贷。而不是选择他们看到的第一张信用卡，觉知消费将涉及分析不同的选择，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，并对有需要的人施以慷慨。 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，这在专门讨论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觉知的并有诚实的基础，为美好未来储蓄并没有错。佛教徒可以欣赏古代经文，同时在现代世界中前行，利用所有便利——包括可以帮助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运用《善生经》的教义来智慧管理财务，特别是应对债务问题。文章强调，佛教不反对金钱本身，而是反对贪婪、执着和不善管理。核心教义包括将收入分为四部分（享受、投资、储蓄），提倡量入为出，并融入八正道中的正念、正命和正精进。通过觉知消费、诚实生活和慷慨行为，在家佛教徒可以在现代社会中实现财务安全，减少负面业力，从而更专注于修行和幸福之路。
高德明老师的评价
1. 用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容 这篇文章就像一本超级实用的“金钱使用说明书”！它告诉我们，佛教不是让我们变成穷光蛋，而是教我们怎么聪明地用钱。比如，如果你有100块钱，可以拿25块买喜欢的零食或玩具（享受），拿50块存起来或做点小生意（投资），剩下25块留着以防万一（储蓄）。这样，你就不会乱花钱欠债，还能慢慢变有钱，生活更开心！佛教说，钱不是坏东西，贪心才是问题——就像吃太多糖果会牙疼一样，花太多钱会让人烦恼。所以，要像玩游戏一样，制定预算规则，用手机APP帮忙，选最划算的信用卡，这样就能轻松管理零花钱啦！ 2. 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，尤其契合《显密圆通成佛心要集》中“即事而真”的圆融精神。该集强调显密双修、世出世间不二，本文的财务管理教义正是这一理念的生动实践——将世俗的金钱事务转化为修行道用。在显宗层面，《善生经》作为原始佛教经典，提供了具体的戒律指导，如四分配财法，这属于“显”的教法；而其中蕴含的觉知和正念，则可与密宗准提法的“观心”功夫相呼应。准提法作为显密圆通的典范，提倡“在生活中修，在修中生活”，本文的智慧理财正是此道的延伸：通过管理债务和财务，修炼对贪执的觉察，转化烦恼为菩提。从大乘视角，这种修行不仅自利，还能通过慷慨布施利他，积累福德资粮，完美体现了菩萨道的六度精神。 3. 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，本文的教义可以广泛应用于日常生活，帮助人们解决以下十个问题： （1）债务压力：通过四分配财和预算制定，逐步减少债务，缓解焦虑。 （2）消费冲动：运用正念购物，避免盲目消费，培养节制习惯。 （3）财务混乱：建立清晰财务系统，提升管理能力，增强安全感。 （4）贪心增长：以投资和储蓄替代挥霍，转化贪欲为积极动力。 （5）业力累积：通过正命职业和诚实交易，减少负面业力，积累善业。 （6）家庭矛盾：合理规划家庭开支，促进和谐，减少金钱纠纷。 （7）未来担忧：储蓄和投资为未来提供保障，增强信心和稳定。 （8）社会疏离：慷慨布施加强人际连接，培养利他心和社会责任感。 （9）修行障碍：财务安全减少生活压力，使心更宁静，便于禅修。 （10）生命意义：将财务管理视为修行一部分，赋予日常活动灵性价值，提升生命品质。