An Empowering Merit-based

Buddhist Economy –

the Asoke Model in Thailand

Bong C. L. Malaysia

World Buddhist Fellowship, 22-25 December, 2011, Taiwan

Introduction

The world does not seem to

be a safe place – economically

or environmentally.

One financial crisis after

another hits one country or

region after another, Japan,

South Korea of East Asia,

ASEAN, USA, Greece, Italy,

Spain of Europe, on and on.

Introduction

Wars and conflicts in Middle East; Famines

in Africa, etc

Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes,

tsunami…

Introduction – Any Solutions

Any solutions in

sight? Try Asoke

Model

founded by Venerable

Bodhiraksa more

than thirty years ago.

9 well-established

major centres +

many smaller

communities spread

throughout Thailand.

Asoke Community & Practices

rapid yet sustainable growth as a socio-

economically successful independent and

upright community

serves humanity, nurtures and replenishes

rather than selfishly exploits man, resources and

nature as seen in traditional economy

based on their advocacy and practice of a

return to Buddhist way of life, the purpose and

goal of which is spiritual liberation, not in

pursuit of sense desires.

Asoke Harmony and World Chaos

Asoke community returns to Buddhist way of life

with spiritual liberation as the purpose and goal of

life, not pursuit and gratification of sense desires.

contrasts sharply with what is commonly

occurring now, - pursuit or goal of life is the

mindless accumulation of material wealth, and in

the process man destroys the environment, loses

the meaning and direction of life so that a society

of social ills prevails and dominates, where greed

feeds on more greed, where aversion burns ever

so strongly, and delusions are so blinding

Deluded Living, Chaotic World

Countries invaded, numerous lives lost and more

put in misery; nature and environment destroyed

just because some deluding and greedy groups of

people want control of certain resources.

financial crisis hitting one country after another,

one region after another.

Obviously there is something fundamentally

wrong that drives this world and its economy -

endless and mindless pursuit and accumulation of

material wealth without giving back is not only

unsustainable but destructive to mind and body.

ASOKE MODEL OF MERIT-BASED

ECONOMY

Spiritual cultivation and liberation from Saṁsāra – Meaning and Goal of Life

Right livelihood

abundance

Generosity Sharing

Merits

Spiritual Goal of

Liberation from

Saṁsāra

Aso

ke M

odel – M

eri

t-B

ased E

conom

y

Special

niche

market for

‘right

products’

The Community – Structure

Monks, nuns and 5-10

precepts householders

with the monastics

forming the core

Community formed to

support right living for

the pursuit of spiritual

goal of liberation from

saṁsāra.

The Community – Life Style

simple, relatively austere

lifestyle that trains in

Reducing greed, aversion

and delusion;

denounces consumerism

and wastages of

resources;

Promotes Buddhist

values eg generosity,

diligence and self-reliance,

Cultivates Brahmavihara

The C

om

munity

- H

arm

ony

family, company, private or

public institutions, government

Virtue /

precepts

Shared right view

amiable deeds

Amiable speech

Kind thoughts

& intention

Share wealth equally

goodwill

frie

ndlin

ess

transparency

Fai

rness

and

just

ice

Common welfare

Motivation & productivity

Spiritual Pursuit & Prosperity of Life

Simplicity of life style - self-reliant, diligent,

frugal, resourceful

High productivity – spiritually & materially

Spiritual liberation-primary objective &

goal of life and living

Accumulate merits to support spiritual life

Denounces wasteful consumerism that

fuels conventional economy that is

exploitative and wasteful

Spiritual Pursuit & Prosperity of Life

In rejecting consumerism

cultivate wisdom of non-greed, non-

aversion; cultivating generosity,

Brahmavihara

Curbing sense pursuits;

Cut out wastage on unnecessary materials

eg cosmetics, fashion wears, etc

Conserve energy & resources more

wealth (by-product of spiritual pursuit)

generated for the community

Productive & Green Life Style

Independence, self-

reliance and

sufficiency through

‘use what we

produce; produce

what we use’

Grow their own

foods – rice

mushroom, herbs,

vegetables, etc

Productive & Green Life Style Conserve food and green renewable

resources for present and future

generations’ needs for foods, timber & fuel

eg forests of timber and groves of bamboo

of different needs for housing, fuel & foods;

herbal gardens

Life style friendly to human and other

sentient beings and environment

Productive & Green Life Style

Life style friendly to

human and other

sentient beings and

environment

Sharing Resources; Empowering People

Share resources – organic fertilizers; raw

materials eg rice bran, rice husks at cost

Transfer locally developed technology for

free – designs and fabrication of farm

machineries; reconditioning soils destroyed

by unsustainable agriculture practices;

weaving; training, formulae and designs

given freely

Sharing Resources; Empowering People

Train and empower people with the skills

to make right living

Training Human Resources

Future generations: set up and operate

their own schools to train children and

youths in right living according to

Buddhist teachings; giving them living

skills; building their potential

Training Human Resources

Training courses – weaving; traditional

skills like healing massage techniques;

herbal shampoo; detoxification etc

Sharing Abundance

Abundance of produce is shared or

distributed at or below cost and at clearly

labelled profit margin

Sharing Abundance

Operate their own superstore to serve

their own and outside communities –

provide space for local products; products

sold at lowest prices possible

Service provided not for material profit

but for supporting right living or spiritual

life.

Niche Market for ‘Right products’

Special niche markes for ‘right products’ is

now growing – demands for organic foods;

for products produced with wholesome

spirits

Niche Market for ‘Right products’

Merit-based economy thus created is

expanding as people naturally support

wholesomeness

The Asoke model proves that an economy

that runs on merits and wholesomeness is

viable and sustainable, and seems capable

of limitless growth.

Conventional Business Practices

Monetary-oriented and profit-based economic thoughts and practices

Profits and more profit in terms of dollars at every point of transaction, with little regards for serving humanity if any, more likely severe exploitation of human potential and natural resources to the detriments of all – medical bills multiply, people and environment are more sick than healthy

Market and economy run unsustainably on greed and delusion!!!!

Aoke Merit-based Economy

Spiritual goal, spiritual wealth (merits and

right living)

Prosperity, right products, right life

An ever-expanding niche market built and

run on wholesomeness of producers and

consumers

Instrumental in generating and

expanding the field of wholesomeness

pureland of market economy?!?

Tim

e for

Par

adig

m S

hift

Merit-based market or economy

Conventional market or economy

Ethics

Spiritual life

Spiritual & Material prosperity for all

Pureland?

Little ethics

Poverty of spiritual life

Questionable ‘prosperity’ for few at

the expense of majority – wasteland?

Which should one prefer and advocate

Many thanks to all who bring us all together here for a learning experience