Right Livelihood

Let's recap: I am going to Thailand soon and as a result have started studying Buddhism. In a past post, Attachment, I mentioned the Eight Fold Path. It is the Buddhist guide to end suffering.

The Eight Fold Path

Right View
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about Right Livelihood. I have a job that is for the most part enjoyable. I sell wine at a beautiful California winery. It is a dream. However, I've been doing this for years and, well, let's just say I take vacations because this line of work is not what I really want to be doing with my time on Earth.

Right Livelihood is about earning one's living in ways that do no harm to others. I never considered my work harmful, but in my studies I've found that this includes trading in drugs and poisons, including alcohol and recreational drugs.

Oops.

It turns out that selling drugs and alcohol is even worse than using them yourself. At least when you use, you only harm yourself. No one else is involved. We're talking about a violation of a Major Precept versus a Secondary Precept.

Well I guess I've been doing that wrong all these years!

I've been describing my dissatisfaction with work by saying that I am selling a luxury item to rich people. It turns out it is more than that! Who knew I was in direct violation of the Eight Fold Path?? Perhaps, instinctively, I knew that all along.