Buddhism and Business

Buddhism and Business
Author: Trine Brox
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2020-08-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0824884167

Although Buddhism is known for emphasizing the importance of detachment from materiality and money, in the last few decades Buddhists have become increasingly ensconced in the global market economy. The contributors to this volume address how Buddhists have become active participants in market dynamics in a global age, and how Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike engage Buddhism economically. Whether adopting market logics to promote the Buddha’s teachings, serving as a source of semantics and technologies to maximize company profits, or reacting against the marketing and branding of the religion, Buddhists in the twenty-first century are marked by a heightened engagement with capitalism. Eight case studies present new research on contemporary Buddhist economic dynamics with an emphasis on not only the economic dimensions of religion, but also the religious dimensions of economic relations. In a wide range of geographic settings from Asia to Europe and beyond, the studies examine institutional as well as individual actions and responses to Buddhist economic relations. The research in this volume illustrates Buddhism’s positioning in various ways—as a religion, spirituality, and non-religion; an identification, tradition, and culture; a source of values and morals; a world-view and way of life; a philosophy and science; even an economy, brand, and commodity. The work explores Buddhism’s flexible and shifting qualities within the context of capitalism, and consumer society’s reshaping of its portrayal and promotion in contemporary societies worldwide.

Business and the Buddha

Business and the Buddha
Author: Lloyd M. Field
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2007-11-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0861715446

All businesses want to do well, but can they also do good? Lloyd Field says yes, and moreover, no business can afford to focus simply on "doing well." Increasingly, public assessment of a business's worth must take into account its consideration of shared human values. That doesn't mean a business can't or should not compete; it means that investing in efforts to build a better society can, on many levels, be an asset. In this book, Field lays out the guidelines for putting social responsibility, both corporate and individual, into practice without sacrificing profits. Drawing from traditional Buddhist teachings, Field shows how, with attention to ethics, skillful means, and corporate responsibility, entrepreneurs and decision-makers can achieve new levels of happiness and security both inside the company and out, while acting as a powerful force for positive global change.

Building a Business the Buddhist Way

Building a Business the Buddhist Way
Author: Geri Larkin
Publisher: Celestial Arts
Total Pages: 142
Release: 1999
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780890878880

The author of "Stumbling Toward Enlightenment" puts a new spin on the principles of entrepreneurship, showing how to use Buddhism to build a business of integrity.

Buddhist Monks and Business Matters

Buddhist Monks and Business Matters
Author: Gregory Schopen
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2004-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780824825478

The second in a series of collected essays looking at Indian Buddhism.

Putting Buddhism to Work

Putting Buddhism to Work
Author: Shinichi Inoue
Publisher: Kodansha
Total Pages: 140
Release: 1997
Genre: Buddhism
ISBN:

The challenge of the twenty-first century lies in developing a new type of economics that will save the earth rather than destroy it. Shinichi Inoue argues that while economics will continue to be based on the "free market, " the interpretation of the word "free" can be different from that normally accepted in the West, where freedom centers around the rights of the individual. In contrast, in the Buddhist view freedom ensues when all personal desires are mastered or superseded. In this way, a Buddhist approach involves understanding that economics and a moral and spiritual life are neither separate nor mutually exclusive. Buddhist economics avoids conflict with nature and operates in a way that is spiritually rich, socially beneficial, as well as environmentally friendly. In effect, it is an economics that shows us how to move beyond the unfortunate compartmentalization of our lives symptomatic of the present age to a more holistic vision of life. Drawing on his experience as the head of a major Japanese bank, Shinichi Inoue shows how the management of large enterprises can be reconciled with the compassionate teachings of Buddhism. Throughout this book, he also examines successful companies where innovative management outlooks have been adopted, and he illustrates his stimulating approach to business with abundant anecdotes.

The Diamond Cutter

The Diamond Cutter
Author: Geshe Michael Roach
Publisher: Harmony
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2009-09-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0385530641

With a unique combination of ancient and contemporary wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, The Diamond Cutter presents readers with empowering strategies for success in their work and personal lives. Geshe Michael Roach, one of the great teachers today of Tibetan Buddhism, has richly woven The Diamond Cutter in three layers. The first is a translation of selections from the Diamond Sutra itself, an ancient text comprised of conversations between the Buddha and his close disciple Subhuti. Considered a central work by Buddhists throughout the world, the Diamond Sutra has been the focus of much interpretation over the centuries. In the second layer, Geshe Michael quotes from some of the best commentaries of the Tibetan tradition. In the main text, the third layer, he uses both sutra and commentary as a jumping-off point for presenting his own teaching. Geshe Michael gives fresh insight into ancient wisdom by using examples from his own experience as one of the founders of the Andin International Diamond Corporation, which was started with capital of fifty thousand dollars and which today has annual sales in excess of one hundred million dollars. Much of the success of Andin has come from applying the business strategies presented in The Diamond Cutter. Geshe Michael's easy style and spiritual understanding make this work of timeless wisdom an invaluable source for those already familiar with, and those unfamiliar with, Tibetan Buddhism.

Introduction to Buddhist Economics

Introduction to Buddhist Economics
Author: Ernest C. H. Ng
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2020-01-30
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 3030351149

Living in a market-driven economy where short-term profit and economic growth appear to be the ultimate goal, this book explores how Buddhist teachings could bridge the divide between our spiritual and material needs and reconcile the tension between doing good for social interest and doing well for financial success. This book serves as a pioneering effort to systematically introduce Buddhist Economics as an interdisciplinary subject to audience with limited background in either Buddhism or economics. It elaborates some core concepts in Buddhist teachings, their relevance to economics, and means of achieving sustainability for individuals, society and the environment with the cultivation of ethical living and well-being. Through scholarly research from relevant fields including Buddhist studies, economics, behavioral finance, cognitive science, and psychology, this book illustrates the relevance of Buddhist values in the contemporary economy and society, as well as the efficacy of Buddhist perspectives on decision-making in daily life.

Enlightened Management

Enlightened Management
Author: Dona Witten
Publisher: Park Street Press
Total Pages: 176
Release: 1999-09-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9780892818761

• How to create a successful and harmonious business environment by bringing Buddhist principles to the workplace. • Practical, time-tested methods that help transform your business environment into a productive and peaceful workplace. • Includes a series of mental and physical exercises designed to help people cope with challenges they face when working in groups, offices, or industry. The goal of management in most businesses, large or small, is to get people to work together successfully and harmoniously. This practical manual shows how Buddhist principles can be used to transform the workplace into a supportive, productive environment in which people are capable of maximizing their own potential. Using the ancient Tibetan text The Seven Points of Mind Training as its base, Enlightened Management shows how these time-tested methods can be used in a modern business environment with stunning success. By applying Buddhist principles to the workplace the authors provide new insights into the true meaning of responsibility and the importance of focus. They teach how to relax under pressure and control emotions, and provide tips on constructive conflict resolution and understanding personal limits. More than just a book on achieving success, Enlightened Management is about creating happiness for all involved, employer as well as employee. Packed with exercises and techniques tailored for today's workplace, Enlightened Management shows how to draw the best out of ourselves and our colleagues to create the productive, balanced, and happy office environment in which everyone dreams of working.

Buddhist Economics

Buddhist Economics
Author: Clair Brown
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2017-02-21
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1632863669

In the tradition of E. F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful, renowned economist Clair Brown argues persuasively for a new economics built upon equality, sustainability, and right living. "Buddhist Economics will give guidance to all those who seek peace, fairness, and environmental sustainability." —Jeffrey Sachs, author of The Age of Sustainable Development. Traditional economics measures the ways in which we spend our income, but doesn't attribute worth to the crucial human interactions that give our lives meaning. Clair Brown, an economics professor at U.C. Berkeley and a practicing Buddhist, has developed a holistic model, one based on the notion that quality of life should be measured by more than national income. Brown advocates an approach to organizing the economy that embraces rather than skirts questions of values, sustainability, and equity. Complementing the award-winning work of Jeffrey Sachs and Bill McKibben, and the paradigm-breaking spirit of Amartya Sen, Robert Reich, and Thomas Piketty, Brown incorporates the Buddhist emphasis on interdependence, shared prosperity, and happiness into her vision for a sustainable and compassionate world. Buddhist economics leads us to think mindfully as we go about our daily activities, and offers a way to appreciate how our actions affect the well-being of those around us. By replacing the endless cycle of desire with more positive collective activities, we can make our lives more meaningful as well as happier. Inspired by the popular course Professor Brown teaches at U.C. Berkeley, Buddhist Economics represents an enlightened approach to our modern world infused with ancient wisdom, with benefits both personal and global, for generations to come.

Buddhist and Taoist Systems Thinking

Buddhist and Taoist Systems Thinking
Author: Josep M. Coll
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 158
Release: 2021-07-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1000401812

Buddhist and Taoist Systems Thinking explores a radical new conception of business and management. It is grounded on the reconnection of humans with nature as the new competitive advantage for living organizations and entrepreneurs that aspire to regenerate the economy and drive a positive impact on the planet, in the context of the Anthropocene. Organizations today struggle in finding a balance between maximizing profits and generating value for their stakeholders, the environment and the society at large. This happens in a paradigm shift characterized by unprecedented levels of exponential change and the emergence of disruptive technologies. Adaptability, thus, is becoming the new business imperative. How can, then, entrepreneurs and organizations constantly adapt and, at the same time, design the sustainable futures they’d like? This book uniquely explores the benefits of applying Buddhist and Taoist Systems Thinking to sustainable management. Grounded in Taoist and Zen Buddhist philosophies, it offers a modern scientific perspective fundamentally based on the concepts of bio-logical adaptability and lifefulness amidst complexity and constant change. The book introduces the new concept of the Gaia organization as a living organism that consciously helps perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet. It is subject to the natural laws of transformation and the principles of oneness, emptiness, impermanence, balance, self-regulation and harmonization. Readers will find applied Eastern systems theories such as the Yin-Yang and the Five Elements operationalized through practical methodologies and tools such as T-Qualia and the Zen Business model. They are aimed at guiding Gaia organizations and entrepreneurs in leading sustainable transformations and qualifying economic growth. The book offers a vital toolkit for purpose-driven practitioners, management researchers, students, social entrepreneurs, evaluators and change-makers to reinvent, create and mindfully manage sustainable and agile organizations that drive systemic transformation.