Career Monk – Career Buddhist
Marcelo and I got an email from someone I will, for confidentiality reasons, call “John” – John asked about a career as a Buddhist and I answered the following, which in all fairness, opened up a lot of thoughts in my head about “how to integrate Buddhism in a career” and “how could we develop a careers as a Buddhist”?
Comments MORE than welcome.
Here we go:
Dear John,
Thank you for your email and the kind words.
I am not really sure how I best reply to your email as there is so much to say. [...]
Marcelo comes from a “monk background” whilst I come more from the “non monk” background, so to speak. However, we both are devoted to Buddhism, and as you might read, in different ways.
You are asking for career opportunities in Buddhism. I am sitting here, smiling with happiness, because it sounds like you are aiming to apply for a job as a Buddhist. That is a great thought that stimulates my thinking in 2 ways:
- can we create a path for Buddhism where we can offer that as a career choice outside the monkhood? If so, how could we set up a path like that.
- Buddhism should never be a career as it is a devoted path to happiness
The latter I think is true but can be supportive of the first. What am I trying to say?
In my next life I would not be surprised to become a monk. I had those thoughts many times before but in this life I am a devoted husband, father to be and love my commercial (sales) job. However, I can integrate Buddhist principles in my daily life that will enhance my career. And, therefore, become a career Buddhist. I like that thought.
[...]
Love and Kindness,
Volker
