== WORTHLESS & SINFUL JOBS ==
Namaskar,
Our means of livelihood should be samyak ajiiva - right occupation. That
is Baba's teaching. Engaging in jobs that go against this code (samjak
ajiiva) hinder our own spiritual growth by encumbering us with negative
samskaras; plus such jobs have a grossly detrimental effect on the society.
Unfortunately, in this early 21st century - when capitalism is at an
all-time high - there are many occupations that come under this category
of sinful earning. We should all be aware about these, keep arms
distance from them, and alert others.
THE INITIAL GROUP OF SINFUL JOBS
Here is Baba's pointed discourse about worthless jobs. You may have seen
this list before.
Baba says, "People’s means of livelihood should not depend on the
quarrel of individuals, as in the case of lawyers. Lawyers usually set
one person against another and in this way they serve their personal
interests. Similarly no one should be a trader in religion, because in
the name of religion, many people are exploited. Nor should one earn
one’s livelihood by dealing with dead bodies because such people want
more and more people to die, so that they may thereby increase their
income. People should also not earn their livelihood by lending money
and taking interest. Such persons want to lend more and more money to
gain more and more interest, and they do not want the borrowers to
refund the capital. The scriptures stipulate that people should not
accept food from such people, because their occupations are despicable."
(SS-11)
In the above teaching, Baba distinctly names the following professions
as "despicable": Lawyers, religious traders, undertakers, and
money-lenders. As described above, both the intention and execution of
such jobs is harmful. In one way or another, those involved in such
occupations do not want that society should grow. Instead, they profit
by having society remain downtrodden.
Yet at present there are millions of people holding such jobs, many of
whom may also be in the Marga. Hence just because a job is "acceptable"
by society's standard does not mean it is accepted in our Marga. We
should all take notice and be careful.
Tragically, a small pocket of wholetimers are involved in money-lending,
as well as some margiis who are involved in lawyering. And there are
others involved in various other sinful earnings. We should help them
escape from this unworthy line of work.
ONE CLARIFICATION: WE ARE NOT AGAINST BANKS
Here it should be clarified that our Marga is not against the banking
industry like Islam is. Banks are needed. But the big business and
underhanded ways of money-lending at high interest rates as occurs in
Indian villagers and by corporate credit cards is a sinful way to make a
living. Banks help people manage their finances and enable them to make
purchases, whereas this latter group of professional money-lenders aim
to keep people permanently in debt. We should all be aware about this
distinction.
ANOTHER GROUP OF SINFUL JOBS
Here Baba identifies more jobs that should be avoided. They include
things like selling intoxicants and thievery, i.e. selling adulterated
goods and cheating people.
Baba says, "So one must have a clean occupation, that is, one must not
do anything antisocial, one must not encourage anything antisocial,
anything that goes against collective interest. That is samyak a'jiiva
in physical sphere. One may earn money by selling wine. One may earn
money by stealing. These are not samyak a'jiiva. Your occupation should
be neat and clean – not going against the interest of the society." (AV-30)
In the above category, we can also include those involved in imposing
pseudo-culture on society. Just as wine-sellers degrade and degenerate
society, similar is the case of those who make erotic movies, i.e. most
of Hollywood, exploit women in advertisements, make junk food / fast
food, and so many other things that bring society down.
Plus every those who do not produce anything at all but just make their
living as a "middle-man" also go against the code of samyak ajiiva.
Because they do not contribute anything to society, rather they only try
to take a profit before passing something onto the next person. In a
Proutistic society where goods are produced and sold locally, there will
not be any middle-man.
MORE SINFUL JOBS:
PROOF THAT CAPITALISM HAS MATURED
At this point, one might think that only those above jobs are against
the code of samyak ajiiva - but there are more. For instance, where
there is an overpopulation of doctors such as in India, then those
medical professionals often want that more people should be come sick so
they can make more money. This is also a dirty profession.
Then of course there is Wall Street and the whole financial scene of
investors, speculators, and stock brokers etc. This whole entire
financial world is a sinful way of earning and will be totally outlawed
in a Proutistic society.
Some may think, 'Well, nowadays everybody knows that Wall Street is
bad', but at the same time we should note that it will take a huge push
to get these Wall Streeters to change.
For years and years all the top students in the US and even Europe
became financial investors, and averted fields like science,
engineering, and other worthy fields of study. In extreme capitalism
those with money were honored and those jobs held the highest prestige.
Hence, many students rushed headlong in that direction and those on Wall
Street were worshiped as demi-gods.
PROOF THAT CAPITALISM HAS MATURED (Cont)
Even with the recent economic downturn, Wall Street is not going to
leave easily. Capitalism may fall at any moment, but it is sure those on
Wall Street will be there to the very end. They will not give up the
fight easily.
On the street, common people may be saying that Wall Streeters are bad.
But those same Wall Stret kingpins just got loaned hundreds of billions
of dollars by the Federal government. And there was NO STIPULATION on
that loan, whereas when the US auto companies were given a Federal load
there were many rules attached.
All this goes to show that Wall Street's ties run deep - their pockets
are deep. Those in the height of America's government are wedded to Wall
Street.
And this is also the case in so many other countries that have emulated
the Wall Street model. Because right now, capitalism is rampant and
these financial districts are down but not out. They are still
manipulating and directing the flow of money in their land.
So the Wall Street breed clearly falls outside the realm of samyak
ajiiva (right livelihood) and such parasites will not be allowed to
exist in the Proutistic society. They will be forced to change and use
their talents in productive ways.
SUMMARY
In capitalism, the number of worthless and sinful jobs is at an all-time
high. Everyone is trying to make money at any extent. Morality is gone
and money is king. There are so many jobs where people literally do not
contribute anything to society, just they exist to make a profit. This
includes Wall Street, middle-men, and so many other pieces of the
capitalistic puzzle. Nowadays, something is produced somewhere and then
that product goes through a long chain of middle-men before it reaches
the buyer. Such middle-men are not doing anything except grabbing money.
Such type of social parasites are a hindrance to society yet nowadays
they are flourishing everywhere. That, combined with the fact that Wall
Streeters still command huge power in the society remind us that
capitalism is now mature - nearly overripe. Its end is soon. We should
all be ready.
The future of those involved in such financial schemas and negative
occupations is not at all bright. They will undergo harsh samskaras in
the future. So none should emulate or revere such persons. Rather we
should work to expose them and bring in the new era of Prout. Such
persons are bloodsuckers and survive off of cheating others.
BABA'S BLESSING
By His grace, as Ananda Margiis we should follow Baba's code of samyak
ajiiva and not get caught in the negative and sinful ways of capitalism.
Baba says, "Your occupation should be neat and clean – not going against
the interest of the society." (AV-30)
Namaskar,
Pradiip
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Capacity of A'tma
Baba says, "Till you have a human body go on doing great work. After
death in absence of the brain the mind cannot function in which case one
cannot do anything. But the unit consciousness (atma) can still work. It
has the capacity to work in subtle form." (Delhi DMC 1984 Discourse)
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