2011 ARCHIVE - Saddharaja - Right Livelihood Talk 1 - Meaningful Work & Values

Here is the first of six talks on Right Livelihood given by Saddharaja, drawing on his extensive experience of Right Livelihood ( Team Based and otherwise ).


Saddharaja starts with a work story from his youth in the English Lake District and moves on to a recap of Sangharakshita's definitions of both Right Livelihood and Team-based Right Livelihood. He explores how most people in the modern world might find meaning in their work, with some help from the writings of Alain De Botton. He explores how Buddhists can make meaningful work a spiritual practice.

He suggests the use of shamatha and vipashyana approaches, and goes on to explore the 5 principles of Windhorse:evolution in that light. The talk finishes with a wonderful poem from Seamus Heaney on the joy of using a simple farm tool. The talk is peppered with Saddharaja's own work experiences, including a dramatic story involving a mine shaft in a Lake District slate quarry.




Click on this Link to hear the talk, courtesy of Free Buddhist Audio, is called Meaningful Work & Values ( The pleasures and sorrows of work )