2. Balanced Livelihood (sama-jīvitā): Abstaining From Over Consumption

With regard to balanced livelihood, the Buddha expounded that how a householder should earn his living in balanced livelihood as follows:—

“Katamāni ca, vyagghapajja, samajīvitā? Idha, vyaggapajja, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṃviditvā, vayañca bhogānaṃ viditvā, samaṃ jīvikaṃ kappeti, naccogāḷaṃ nātihīnaṃ -‘Evaṃ me āyo vayaṃ pariyādāya thassati, na ca me vayo āyaṃ pariyādāya thassatī’ ti.”

“What is balanced livelihood? Herein, Vhyyagghapajja, a householder knowing his income and expenses leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly, knowing that thus his income will stand in excess of his expenses, but not his expenses in excess of his income.”^[1]

“Seyathāpi, vyaggapajja, tulādhārovā tulādhārentevāsīvā tulaṃ paggahetvā jānāti-‘ettakena vā onataṃ, ettakena vā unnatan’ti; evamevaṃ kho, vyaggapajja, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṃ viditvā, vayañca bhogānaṃ viditvā, samaṃ jīvikaṃ kappeti, naccogāḷaṃ nātihīnaṃ -‘Evaṃ me āyo vayaṃ pariyādāya thassati, na ca me vayo āyaṃ pariyādāya thassatī’ sti.”

“Just as the goldsmith, or an apprentice of his, knows on holding up a balance, that by so much it has dipped down, by so much it has titled up; even so a householder, knowing his income and expenses leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly, knowing that thus his income will stand in excess of his expenses, but not his expenses in excess of his income.”^[2]

“‘Udumbarakhādīvāyaṃ kulaputto bhoge khādatī’ ti. Sace panāyaṃ, vyaggapajja, kulaputto mahāyo samāno kasiraṃ jīvikaṃ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro–‘ajeṭṭhamaranaṃ vāyaṃ kulaputto marissatī’ ti”

“If, Vyaggapajja, a householder with little income were to lead an extravagant life, there would be those who say–‘This person enjoys his property like one who eats wood-apple.’ If, Vyagghapajja, a householder with a large income were to lead a wretched life, there would be those who say–‘This person will die like a starveling.’”^[3]

According to the exposition above mentioned, the perspective of consumption can be seen in the teaching of the Buddha. The Buddha advised householders to abstain from overconsumption and nonconsumption. The Buddha pointed out them to consume in moderation.