Ājīva

Ājīva (livelihood) is nonviolence (ahiṃsā) at a large scale. Whatever is done in order to support one's basic needs, it will consume a considerable amount of time and hence form our habits and our environment.

Some activities are incompatible with Buddhist practice and are therefore considered to be "wrong livelihood" (micchā-ājīva) in the canonical texts. These include

dealing in arms, living beings, and intoxicants
slaughtering and fishing
soldiering
trickery and usury
soothsaying

Of course, most work these days falls into the category of trickery and usury. It involves the production of useless goods and the creation of a market for those goods. Often this line of work specifically targets the most vulnerable of society.

This state of affairs poses two related questions:

How much of these goods do I need?
How much do I want to be involved in their distribution?

Does material wealth really make us happy? How much do I need versus imagine to need? How much suffering am I willing to cause in order to fulfill those needs, in particular the imagined ones? How much time of my life am I willing to invest into the chase for more things that do not make me happy? How much is really necessary to support a fulfilled and meaningful life?

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