The Six Occupations Should Not Be Carried Out By The Lay Followers Of Buddhism

 

THE SIX EVIL OCCUPATIONS

In the Agamas and Nikayas, the Buddha forbade the lay followers to follow the six evil occupations as these six evil occupations are not in harmony with the mind of love and compassion of Buddhism. They are as follows:

1. Not to do the hunting, hunting is an extremely cruel occupation of killing so many animals: deer, stags, monkeys, weasels, pigs, jungle fowls and all different kinds of birds etc.

2. Not to do the fishing, fishing is also the extremely cruel occupation of catching fish and killing aquatic species with traps, casting-net, lift net, fishing rod etc.

3. Not to trade raw meat, trading raw meat is the occupation of killing water buffaloes, cows, pigs, goats, horses, dogs, chickens, ducks etc. People doing this type of work are called butchers who kill cattle and sell each kilogram of meat for others to cook as food, this is a very cruel occupation of killing without mercy.

4. Not to trade cooked meat, trading cooked meat is the occupation to use meat of living beings to cook food such as: noodle, pig's tripe soup, noodle with seasoned and sauté beef, rice spaghetti (cooked with shrimp, crab or meat), pork and steamed meatloaf, fermented pork roll etc. This is also a cruel occupation, people doing this type of work also lose their minds of love and compassion.

5. Not to produce and trade alcohols, because producing and trading alcohols make people drunk, drunken people lose their wit and thus can shout and insult neighbours, spouses, children, parents and siblings, they lie in the streets, in the bush and everywhere regardless of dirtiness or weather, they discredit themselves as human beings, their bodies can easily get diseases, they bring misery to their parents, siblings, spouses and children etc.

6. Not to trade humans, trading humans includes the activities of slave traders and pimps/bawds. This is a very cruel occupation, they use power, money, materials to force defenseless, vulnerable and poverty-stricken people to become slaves and to become prostitutes, making people’s families miserable and torn apart. Prostitution is depraved and makes people lose human dignity, it makes people become immoral and worse than animals, because animals only have certain timings for sexuality, and therefore people who sell themselves for livelihood deprave the human condition.

These six occupations are the cruel occupations, with which people kill living beings, bring sufferings and diseases to so many people, especially the production and trading of alcohols, opium, heroin, cigarettes, and rustic tobacco etc. which are the addictive substance, they waste huge money, possessions and properties of so many people and the consequences are burdened by so many generations.

As such, people following these occupations are supporting their life, their parents, their families and getting rich from the sufferings of innumerous people and living beings.

They are the ignorant people who do not see the law of cause-and-effect controlling the happenings in each human being in every second, the law of cause-and-effect does not exempt anyone, any person performs evil deeds will have to receive the suffering consequences.

If you do not believe these teachings of the Buddha, you can visit the families of people who follow these occupations. Despite their rich and comfortable appearance, they are actually not happy inside. These families often have ailing people, accidents also often happen to them, thus the families are always worried and anxious, and the life of their families is never harmonious, peaceful and happy.

As they sow the evil seeds, so they have to reap the suffering fruits. There’s not any person or any way to save them from the suffering consequences.

As the Buddha knew very well the causality of goodness and evilness, he wanted his disciples to overcome the suffering situations and thus he constantly forbade the lay followers to perform these six occupations, though it was very easy for people to make money with these occupations, it is not true happiness. As such, he wanted his disciples to live a truly happy and peaceful life and no longer suffer from adverse circumstances. Because in our daily life we have sowed so many evil seeds, we accordingly have to receive the miserable consequences from one life to another, there is no person or thing or devil that brings us sufferings. Similarly, no Deity or Buddha or Bodhisatta can bestow blessings and good fortunes on us. Please pay attention to this point.

Causality is a law of justice, as we sow so shall we reap, other people cannot bear the consequences for us. Therefore, there is no one who bring us sufferings – but we bring sufferings to ourselves, similarly, there is no one who bring us peace and happiness – but we bring peace and happiness to ourselves.

As the lay followers do not see that the law of cause-and-effect is fair and just, in their life they do not know how to choose the right occupation, they simply choose a job that can help them earn money easily, in the society where they live, they see people earning easy money from doing killing work and so they follow without knowing that it creates innumerable sins. From their actions that create death and sufferings to living beings, they themselves and their own families have to suffer the miserable consequences, and the mishaps happen to them, from one person to another.

As the disciples of the Buddha, the lay followers have to take notice of these six evil occupations, always follow the teachings of the Buddha and you will find true happiness and peace for you and your family.

To follow the right occupation means the right action, it is the right occupation that brings the right livelihood to you and your family. Henceforth, happiness will come to you. Do you believe these teachings?