Panning for GOLD in creek bed (SUTRA)

Gold nuggets become bars, bars become coins and jewelry, which convert into cash

Metal detector signal under this boulder — we had to know what it was...praying

(How to Find Gold | Prospector Nic) May 26, 2025: Deep in a remote Aussie creek, Down Under, we locked onto a massive signal under the biggest boulder we’ve ever worked. The metal detector absolutely screamed — and we had to know what was down there. We spent four hours digging, shifting heavy rock, soaked in sweat and bush grit…and when we finally got to the target — it wasn’t what we expected. But GOLD has a funny way of testing one's patience. This hunt proves it: If you don’t quit, the gold eventually shows itself.

Tons of lost U.S. gold

How many tons of gold did Europeans extract?

SUTRA: Gold Prospectors

Translated by Dhr. Seven based on Ven. Sujata translation (AN 3.101)

“Raw [unprocessed native] gold has coarse impurities: soil, sand, gravel. A prospector or an apprentice gold panner pours it into another pan, where they wash, rinse, and clean it.

When those coarse impurities have been eliminated, there are middling impurities in the raw gold: dirt and grit.

The prospector washes it again. When those have been eliminated, there are fine impurities in the raw gold: fine black grime. The prospector washes it again. When that has been eliminated, only golden flecks remain.

A goldsmith or apprentice places the raw gold in a crucible where they heat, melt, then smelt it. Still the raw gold is not settled as the dross is not totally gone. The gold is not pliable, workable, or radiant, but rather is brittle and not yet ready to be worked.

The goldsmith keeps on heating, melting, and smelting it until the raw gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, no longer brittle but ready to be worked.

Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament, bet it a bracelet, earring, necklace, or a golden garland.

(EGS PRO) This is what REAL gold rocks actually look like

In the same way, a monastic (wandering ascetic) committed to higher mind has coarse impurities (corruptions): unskillful bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. A sincere, capable monastic [in training] gives these up, gets rid of, lets go of, and eliminates them.

When they have been let go of and eliminated, there are middling impurities: thoughts of sensuality, malice, and cruelty. A sincere and capable monastic gives these up, lets go of, gets rid of, and eliminates them.

When they have been given up and eliminated, there are fine impurities: thoughts of family, country, and status. A sincere and capable monastic lets go of, gives these up, gets rid of, and eliminates them. When they have been given up and eliminated, only thoughts about the Teaching (Dharma) are left.

I'm not quite an adept yet. I still have to let go.

That absorption (immersion) is not yet peaceful or sublime, not yet tranquil or unified, but is held in place by forceful suppression [of the mental defilements].

However, there comes a time when mind is stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes absorbed (immersed) in samādhi. That absorption is peaceful and sublime, tranquil and unified, not held in place by forceful suppression.

A monastic (a skillful trainee) extends the mind to realize by insight each and every thing that can be realized by insight; they are capable of realizing those things because each and every one is within range. More

How to get rich quick

With impurities eliminated, I could make $300K!

SUTRA: To the People of Venaga

(AN 3.63, Venāga Sutta) Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi, edited by Dhr. Seven

...Then the Brahmin householders of Venāgapura approached the Blessed One [the Buddha].

Some paid homage and sat down respectfully to one side; some exchanged greetings with him and, when they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, sat down to one side; some reverentially saluted him and sat down to one side; some pronounced their name and clan and sat down to one side; some kept silent and sat down to one side.

The Brahmin Vacchagotta of Venāgapura then said to the Blessed One:

“It is astounding and amazing, Master Gotama [the Buddha], how Master Gotama’s faculties are tranquil and the color of his skin is pure and bright. Just as a yellow jujube fruit in the autumn is pure and bright, so Master Gotama’s faculties are tranquil and the color of his skin is pure and bright.

“Just as a palm fruit that has just been removed from its stalk is pure and bright, so Master Gotama’s faculties are tranquil and the color of his skin is pure and bright.

What is more valuable, gold or self-mastery?

“Just as an ornament of finest gold, well prepared by a skilled goldsmith and very skillfully wrought in the furnace, placed on red brocade, shines and beams and radiates, so Master Gotama’s faculties are tranquil and the color of his skin is pure and bright.”

High and luxurious beds

What's wrong with worldly luxury bedding?

[How are his beds? They must be very nice.] “Whatever high and luxurious kinds of bedding there are — sofa, divan, long-haired coverlet, coverlet of diverse colors, white, woolen with floral designs, quilt of cotton wool, woolen coverlet ornamented with animal figures, woolen coverlet with double borders, woolen coverlet with a single border, silken sheet studded with gems, sheet made with silk threads and studded with gems, dancer’s rug, elephant rug, horse rug, chariot rug, rug of antelope hide, spread made of the hide of the kadali-deer, bed with a canopy above and red bolsters at both ends — Master Gotama surely gains them at will without trouble or difficulty.”

“Brahmin, those high and luxurious kinds of bedding are rarely obtained by those who have gone forth [into the left-home life of a wandering ascetic or shramana], and if they are obtained, they are impermissible.

“But, Brahmin, there are three kinds of high and luxurious beds that at present I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty. What are these three?

“They are the celestial high and luxurious bed, the divine high and luxurious bed, and the noble high and luxurious bed. These are the three kinds of high and luxurious beds that at present I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty.”

More: AN 3.63: Venāgapura Sutta translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi (suttacentral.net)

Gear Used: Minelab GPX 6000 + Nugget Finder 12x7" Canon R7 DJI Mini 4 Pro GoPro Hero 11 DJI Osmo Action 5. Follow Prospector Nic: Website: howtofindgold.com.au Facebook: nicolas.odgers. Instagram: prospectornic1. TikTok: prospectornic. 📌 Want more Aussie gold adventures? Make sure to subscribe, hit the bell, and drop a comment — Nic reads them all. Cheers, legends! #goldprospecting #metal detecting #australiangold #gpx6000 #bedrockgold #prospectornic #goldnuggets #outbackadventures

Nicolas Odgers, How to Find Gold | Prospector Nic, May 26, 2025; Bhikkhu Bodhi, Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net); Dhr. Seven (trans), Amber Larson (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Dear Abby, my dumb son's a 'Peter Pan'

I don't give a gosh darn whom you date or marry, but get a job to pay for it. Work, Son, commit.

.

I'll marry your son IF you buy us a house, Mom.

DEAR ABBY: I am blessed with two sons who live with me. They are in their mid-20s.

The younger one is an amazing young man. He’s strong, confident but not cocky, and happy. He’s in college, works part-time, and plays in a band, among other things. 

My older son is the opposite. Since he was 16, he’s had countless jobs and is (again) currently unemployed. He has been fired from every single job except one.

• How to lead a good Buddhist life 1: Poisons

Dr. Jordan Peterson: The Peter Pan Syndrome* - Pan prefers kinky Tinkerbell to normal Wendy

You, listen to your Momma, Boy! - *Laughter*

He always has some excuse to blame others for his failings. He thinks he’s smarter than the rest of us, thinks he knows better, etc.

I’ve tried to tell and show him the issue is with HIM, not his previous employers. He refuses to accept responsibility for anything wrong in his life.

I love him, but he is driving me crazy. I want to help him but, honestly, I’m over it. I’ve reached the point where it’s difficult to be civil to him.

The last time he was out of work lasted three months. When I gave him a “drop dead” date to find a job or I was kicking him out of the house, miraculously, he found one in the nick of time.

But won't marriage solve all our problems, Kramer? - Seinfeld and Kramer grow old alone

I'm a Buddist, MOM! - I wish! You're full of it - If you don't get off my back, I'm gonna base jump

We are back at that point again. I hate to do it, but I need him to either straighten up or get out.

No matter what I do, I’m the bad guy — for enabling him or for forcing him out. I would love some advice.

— FED-UP MOM IN FLORIDA

• DEAR THE BOTH OF YA: C'mon, Mom, I have lots on my plate! Pot, porn, pervy dating adventures, my cellphone, chasing chicks, gambling and boozing with my buddies, craft beer sampling, hanging out, smoking the herbage, my retainers, school, um, lots of stuff. And shut the front door, Abby! Who's even writing your column for you?! Get off my back.

(Ego Podcast) Where are you stuck? Answers from the Buddha

You're a lazy bum, dumb!

DEAR MOM: Your son is no longer a child. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet. Give him another deadline to find a job or be out from under your roof.

While he is employed, tell him you expect him to save enough money for a security deposit on a place to live.

Do not expect him to like it or be grateful to you for having subsidized him as long as you have. The biggest favor you can give him now is a chance to grow up....

• Dear Abby: My deadbeat son keeps getting fired from jobs — should I kick him out?
• This is why Gen Z aren't applying for jobs — shocking

Mom, I have Peter Pan Syndrome. Sorry

• Seinfeld; Dear Abby via New York Post, Feb. 23, 2025; Jack Black, "Jeepers Creepers," "Slackers," "Gay Son/Grass Valley Greg," Mr. Show with Bob and David (HBO); Psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson (analysis); Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, Shauna Schwartz, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Prospecting: Gold Fever with Dan (video)

BIG GOLD under BIG ROCKS!

(Dan Hurd) Premiered July 28, 2024: Grizzled Old Dan is back to gold panning the Fraser River. Today, he's showing what he's up to. He's going to move big rocks that should be hiding big gold. He has found many pieces of big gold under these rocks in the past, including some gold nuggets. Can he do even better today? Let's find out together.

• Website, paydirt, store, auctions: danhurdprospecting.com

Next up, how to rob a piggy bank with a water gun to save time from all that rock moving, panning, and back straining, whew.

Gold fever is a sign of greed

Enki's gold (Michael Tellinger)

Imagine an illness, a sickness of the heart, a derangement of the mind, and let's call it "gold fever." It's innocent enough today, but there was a time when Europeans arrived and killed, enslaved, and tortured for it. They could not get enough. Not only because they came to the "New" World indebted or because the ship's captain did not want to pay them in currency but instead in deals, gold fever took over the minds of many sailors. El Dorado ("The Golden") was a city made of gold that they had to find. There were mountains of silver stripped from the land that changed the economic system of European countries like Spain. But gold and slaves and resource rich territories were the real prize. It wasn't enough to become rich, one had to seize power and rule, bringing ruin to the indigenous that had lived in harmony for thousands of years.

SUBSCRIBE BY CLICKING THIS LINK: https://www.youtube.com/user/Galidain... FOLLOW ME AROUND THE WEB AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT: Instagram: / dan_hurd_prospecting Patreon - / danhurd Website -- http://www.danhurdprospecting.com Facebook -- / danhurdgold Twitter -- / @danprospecting SPONSORS: Arbor Fabricating classifiers use this link: http://arborfab.com/Prospecting_c_37.... 10% discount code: danhurd Gold Stream Placer Supplies: / goldstreamplacer Kellyco metal detectors and prospecting equipment: http://shrsl.com/1geay-1ueu-s8em Links to equipment used in my videos: Gold panning equipment: Garrett 15" Supper Sluice gold pan: http://shrsl.com/1geay-1ueu-s8em Garrett Gold Guzzler snuffer: http://shrsl.com/1geay-1ueu-s8em Garrett gold panning kit: http://shrsl.com/1geay-1ueu-s8em Razor Back Shovel: https://amzn.to/2ytODrW Metal detecting equipment: Garrett AT Gold metal detector: http://shrsl.com/2c397 Gold Bug 2 metal detector: http://shrsl.com/2c39a Garret pinpointer: http://shrsl.com/2c39m Sand scoop: https://kellycodetectors.com/?sscid=1... Dan's hat: https://amzn.to/2LU34Ou This video is produced by Dan Hurd, Prospector, Miner, Teacher and YouTuber, as part of his YouTube channel based on educational videos about gold mining, gold panning, prospecting, rock hounding, and mineral collecting. #thefinders #thekeepers #getrichquickschemes #goldpanning #findinggold

Save a turkey's life this Thanksgiving

Animal Place.org; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Love (metta) animals (gentlebarn.org)

For $25, a donor can help provide turkeys with feed, bedding, and medical care.

Each turkey receives special attention and individualized care. And as a donor you make that possible. Sponsor Dino or Cypress, and Animal Place will send a sponsorship certificate to share with friends or hang on the fridge for the holidays!

Thanks for showing turkeys a Compassionate Thanksgiving: Donate to Turkey Sponsorship 2022 (animalplace.org)

Otherwise, for Thanksgiving, you know what'll happen in a mass slaughter of birds

.

Animal Place is hiring

Put compassion into action! Apply to work with a team of dedicated individuals working to make this world a kinder place for farmed animals. Animal Place is hiring Animal Caregivers (full-time and part-time), a Social Media Coordinator, a Volunteer Coordinator, and more. Check it out: Get Involved – Job Openings | Animal Place

• West Coast Food for Thought Coordinator?

JOB: Meditation Producer (10% Happier)

Jobs.10percenthappier.com/p/aa1caafd1424-meditation-producer; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

10% Happier touches millions of lives already - through our meditation app, best-selling books, and top-ranked podcast.

At its core meditation is a simple, secular, scientifically validated exercise for our minds. Like running in the 70s, or yoga in the 90s, meditation is now poised to become the next big public health revolution.

Join the team that’s accelerating this revolution. 10% Happier is backed by extraordinary investors, co-founded by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dan Harris of ABC News, and guided by the world’s most respected meditation teachers and scientists. 

• 10% Happier meditation for all of us

The Role:

As a Meditation Producer, work collaboratively with our team (including guiding teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg and 10% Happier co-founder Dan Harris of ABC News) to guide the creation of and deliver world-class content on meditation and mindfulness.

 

Help people make the most of their minds, while challenging yours along the way.

Note: This role is all about working with 10% Happier teachers to create content in their voice, not about creating meditation content in your voice (even though you may be a qualified teacher!)

Your Ideal Experience: More

Fired Ralph Garman explains L.A. radio (live)

Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly  UPDATED

• UPDATE: With lips firmly applied to Conway's b*tt, Ralph Garman came on the show to... Beg for a job? See if he could take Mark Thompson's place as a sidekick? Plead with the audience to write letters to Kevin & Bean at KROQ? To sell tickets to Hollywood Babble-On with Kevin Smith? No, he was just on to promote his own paid-access podcast, The Ralph Report. So if you miss your daily dose of sexist-racism and funny voices, check it out. Or not. So why was he fired from? New ownership was too cheap to pay him, he claims.

Ex-radio personality Ralph Garman (left) sits down with Christine Devine, FOX 11, for a full interview to explain why he was fired from KROQ's morning zoo "Kevin & Bean Show"

ORIGINAL STORY

We've only done a handful of stories on Los Angeles radio, starting with the demise of our beloved Loveline when Adam Corolla left Dr. Drew and was replaced by now fired Psycho Mike Catherwood.

When celebrities get fired, however, and we know something about it, that's a good time to publish a piece. And readers' responses, in terms of views more than comments, have been spectacular.

Who can understand the radio industry so close to Hollywood? Not us.

But fired veteran comedian Ralph Garman is about to explain his unceremonious dismissal from the L.A. morning zoo "Kevin & Bean Show" (now featuring Allie MacKay) over at KROQ 106.7 FM.

• Racist-sexist Ralph Garman fired by KROQ
• VIDEO: 1st sexual misconduct allegation comes out against Ralph Garman
• UPDATE: Mike Catherwood fired from Dr. Drew show

Ralph Garman, co-worker, and Lisa May

He may also shine some light on the firing of his friend and fellow comedian Catherwood from Dr. Drew's AM radio talkshow "Midday Live" (KABC.com) or the previous sacking of sports and weather gal and part time DJ Lisa May now on the new and improved Frosty Heidi and Frank Show. 

I have a podcast now, same thing

The lummoxes over at Alt 97 have little to recommend them except the ratings they claim and two funny bits "Craigslist Freak of the Week" and "Redneck News." Otherwise, they're as unlistenable as all the hits and metro talk on KISS FM. There is always our favorite station, Pacifica/KPFK.org (90.7 FM) and the increasingly corporate SCPR/NPR affiliate KPCC.org.

What's the news? Fired, fat, funnyman Ralph Garman is scheduled to appear on the very funny Tim Conway Jr. Show on KFI AM (kfiam640.iheart.com, the local Coast to Coast outlet 10:00 PM-5:00 AM).

• Ralph Garman interview by Tim Conway and Mark Thompson
• Tuesday, Feb. 13th, 2018, 6:00-10:00 PM
• (Available FREE worldwide online: kfiam640.iheart.com)

• VIDEO: Fired Ralph Garman BEGS for job (abc7.com)
• Mike Catherwood returns to KROQ and Swole Patrol podcast

Help Wanted! Tutor (Pay: $98,000 per year)

Nurturing super parent Gwyneth Paltrow (timessquaregossip.com)

Gwyneth Paltrow seeks talented tutor for kids

Are you fluent in Greek, Latin, French, and Spanish? Can you play at least two instruments well? Are you passionate about sailing and tennis? In other words are you a well-rounded genius? If so, you might consider applying to be the private tutor for... More

San Francisco Chronicle (blog) (6/2/2011)

Not that you need more evidence that the rich are different, but here it is: Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin are looking for a tutor for their two children. One that will earn £60,000 (about $98,500) for up to four hours a day... More

Globe and Mail (6/2/2011)

Gwyneth, Coldplay go Underground

[Mr. Gwyneth Paltrow and] Coldplay frontman Chris Martin knows how to treat his misses -- the singer took Gwyneth Paltrow to his latest gig on the Tube. The couple shunned fancy limos for the Underground [British subway] on Tuesday night. Commuters were gobsmacked when the A-listers turned up at the platform... More

The Sun (6/2/2011)

Are Gwyneth and husband advertising for a £60k-a-year?

Most parents would be happy for their five-year-old to focus on getting to grips with literacy and numeracy. But when you're a multi-millionaire actress and a rock star, why not add ancient Greek, sailing, and philosophy to the... More

Daily Mail (6/2/2011)

• Unseen for 1,800 years: Archaeologists find tunnel leading to "funeral chambers" deep below ancient Mexican city
• Psychopaths, Area 51, Tina Fey, and other bestsellers
• 
  

What our Email says about our Spirituality

(Goddiscussion.com) Hunch.com mined 700,000 users' data to compile stereotypes associated with the four major free email providers. They concluded that:

• AOL users were typically more spiritual and had children.
• Gmail users were generally thin, young men who were politically liberal.
• Hotmail users are often single, young women who are not religious.
• Yahoo! users were usually in a relationship and live out in the suburbs or in rural areas.
  Hunch also says Yahoo! users tend to have sweet tooth, whereas Gmailers are more partial to "salty snacks." More>>

New Way to Find a Job

New Generation of Sites Refine Online Job Search
(NPR) Rob McGovern, the founder of Jobfox, says he sees his company as akin to eHarmony. Rather than just posting a resume, Jobfox users fill out detailed profile. According to the latest government jobs report, nearly 15 million people were unemployed last month. That's a lot of job seekers competing for a limited number of openings. Some are turning to a new generation of job Web sites that use targeted search technology to play matchmaker.

Green jobs that pay

Green jobs that pay $30 an hour
These careers are in high demand and offer promising growth potential. Top salary is $87,200 per year - Green-job resource center - Five big interview myths - Training for eco jobs

Work as Therapy: Cubicle as Couch

The author of "Listening to Prozac" on how we work it out at work
WSJ.com

In his role as therapist, a psy-chiatrist sometimes offers an astringent form of reassur-ance. It goes, “No, you’re not crazy; things are as bad as you imagine.” Addressing anyone entering the job market today, I would acknowledge the obvi-ous: conditions are bleak.... We rely on good jobs for our sense of well-being. Today, young people are routed into employment that has scant relationship to their aspirations. The losses of pay and opportunity are serious, but my concern goes beyond work as a source of income or even of achievement to work as it shapes our identity. Who we are in our solitary moments and in our close relationships is a product of who we are on the job. Increasingly, it’s the workplace, as much as the home, that provides lessons about how to face personal challenges. More>>

• New Ph.D.s Look Abroad for Jobs
• Bright Spots on the Job Front
• Advice for Senior Job-Hunters

Americans who lose Jobs become Hermits

Jeanna Bryner (LiveScience.com, 9/1/08)

[It's the opposite in Asia; see below.] Layoffs can turn social butterflies into near hermits who shun such outlets as book clubs and even church groups, finds a new study.

Workers who experienced just one layoff or involuntary loss of a job were 35% less likely to be involved in their communities than their always-employed counterparts, according to the survey that will be published in the September issue of the journal Social Forces.

Reciprocity
The researchers suggest the reason could come down to tit for tat, or an attitude of "you don't scratch my back, why should I scratch yours?" "Social engagement often involves an element of social trust and a sense that things are reciprocal -- that you give some support if you get some support, and you benefit from society if society benefits from you," said lead researcher Jennie Brand, a sociologist at UCLA. "When workers are displaced, the tendency is to feel as though the social contract has been violated, and we found that they are less likely to reciprocate."

Dirt on downsizing
The results were based on data on nearly 4,400 participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which has tracked a group of 1957 Wisconsin high school graduates for more than 45 years. Born between 1939 and 1940, the participants are of an American age group that is inclined to participate in community and social groups, the researchers say.

Of the six forms of involvement, youth and community groups experienced the strongest exodus by displaced workers followed by church and church groups, charitable organizations, and leisurely activities. Professional and political groups remained just as popular on average in displaced and non-displaced workers. "Displaced workers may be more likely to keep up with professional groups than other groups because they're trying to make up for lost ground with respect to their careers," Brand said.

Workers who got flung out of their jobs during their peak earning years, between the ages of 35 and 53, were the most likely to withdraw from the social buzz throughout their lives. Employees who got the boot between 53 and 64 years of age, at the tail end of their careers, were just as likely to participate in social and community groups as their non-displaced counterparts.

"Being laid off doesn't appear to be as socially damaging for older workers as younger ones," Brand said. "The shame factor of downsizing your lifestyle just isn't there, because your peers may be downsizing as well and you can play off your displacement as an early retirement even though it may be forced retirement."

Double whammy
The latest findings have considerable ramifications, Brand said. "Whether citizens participate is important for the effective functioning of neighborhoods, schools, communities, and democracies," Brand said. In addition, such withdrawals from society can cause a vicious cycle of unemployment. "If workers withdraw socially after being laid off, then they're experiencing double-jeopardy," Brand said. "They're losing their jobs, and then they're not participating in society, so they're not keeping up with social contacts that might help them find a new job."

• Escape from Corporate America
• Hermits around the World
• Millions of Americans Work well into their 60s
• Survey Reveals Most Satisfying Jobs
• Original Story: People Who Lose Jobs Become Hermits

Asians with good Jobs were Hermits

Richard Barrow (thaibuddhist.com)

Over a one-month period, Barrow documented the life of a newly ordained hermit. The time for Nattawud's ordination as a bhikkhu ("hermit") has come. Most Thai men do this once they come of age. Nattawud isn't actually 20 yet. However, they are, apparently, allowed to also count the time spent in their mother's womb! [This is customary in Asia, so that one is nine months old pospartum.]

Thai men are not considered mature adults until they have become monastics for a period of time. Thai people call them "unripe." Once they have ordained and disrobed, they are called thit. Thai men in government jobs are legally allowed to take a three month leave of absence to ordain as a hermit.

Most do this during [the Rains Retreat (Vas) the monsoon season in Asia used for intensive practice since the bad weather doesn't allow for much else, sometimes called] "Buddhist lent," which starts in July. During Vas or lent people do not wander but stay in their hermitage. As Nattawud's birthday is in July, his family decided to bring the ceremony forward. More >>

• Bangladesh ordinations (Planet Pilgrim)
• Women fully ordaining (Sri Lanka)
• Cool Himalayan ordination (Nepal)
• A mountain of your own (Bhutan)
• Into the hot zone (Burmese ordination)

Finding the Best Job for You

Livelihood (gainful employment) tends to follow family lines. One is born into a groove, and inertia wins out. However, a better way to take charge of your destiny is direct experience. The following opportunity is an excellent and fast route to experience.

WORK LIFE: A little bit of everything

Can't decide what to do with your work life? Who says you have to? We meet Sean Aiken, who is trying 52 jobs in 52 weeks. This week: stock picker. (Marketplace Money)

Listen to this Story

Regarding jobs, Buddhist teachings are that doing work that harms others, harms oneself, or harms both should best be avoided out of compassion (for oneself and others) and karma. The results of not avoiding a wrong-livelihood are catastrophic but not immediately apparent. Right-livelihood* for skillful, ordinary people involves avoiding trade in:

1. arms (weapons, military)
2. living beings (prostitution, slavery, ranching)
3. meat production/butchery (slaughtering, selling, promoting)
4. intoxicants and poisons (drugs, alcohol, pesticides, chemicals) [and any practice involving fraud or deception]

*Right Livelihood
is earning a living in an ethical manner, gaining wealth not only legally and peacefully but also without doing harm. The Buddha mentions four specific activities that harm other beings and should therefore be avoided: 1. dealing in weapons, 2. dealing in living beings, 3. working in meat production and butchering, 4. selling intoxicants and poisons. Any occupation that would violate the principles of right speech or right action should be avoided.

Applicants may also want to consider the open-ended vocation of Saddhu (Sanskrit shramana; English shaman; Pali samana; "wandering ascetic"), a position with great prestige, excellent (otherworldly) pros-pects, a medical benefits package limited to medicinal cannabis and fermented cow's urine. Positions now available in Nepal. Pay: tips, donations, meals.