Contentment (Saṅtuṭṭhī) is a fundamental virtue
in Buddhism because it “leads to great goods.”[i] In the Dhammapada, contentment is said to represent the ultimate wealth.[ii] Elsewhere, the Buddha
outlined seven noble forms of wealth, including faith, moral conduct, a sense
of shame and fear toward wrongdoing, character development, self-sacrifice, and
insight into the three characteristics of existence. The Buddha posited that
the absence of these qualities, even with material possessions, constitutes a
more profound poverty.[iii] Contentment can be seen
to represent the element of character development, one of the noble forms of
wealth extolled by the Buddha.
In his instructions,
the Buddha frequently reminded the monks to be content with simple things and
to avoid the desire for many possessions. In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the
Buddha stated:
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing
that so causes unarisen wholesome qualities to arise and arisen unwholesome
qualities to decline as contentment. For one who is content, unarisen wholesome
qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.[iv]
In this same collection of
discourses, the Buddha praised the monk who demonstrated contentment, affirming
that he belongs to an ancient, noble lineage.
Here, a bhikkhu is content with any kind of
robe, and he speaks in praise of contentment with any kind of robe, and he does
not engage in a wrong search, in what is improper, for the sake of a robe. If
he does not get a robe he is not agitated, and if he gets one he uses it
without being tied to it, infatuated with it, and blindly absorbed in it,
seeing the danger in it and understanding the escape from it. Yet he does not
extol himself or disparage others because of this. Any bhikkhu who is skilful
in this, diligent, clearly comprehending and ever mindful, is said to be
standing in an ancient, primal noble lineage.[v]
The Buddha extended this
teaching to contentment with whatever alms food and lodging a monk receives.[vi] New robes are repurposed
when old ones are received, demonstrating contentment through the continued use
of old things: old robes become coverlets, old coverlets become floor-sheets,
old floor-sheets become foot-towels, old foot-towels become dusters, and old
dusters become floor-spreads.[vii] Thus, contentment is not
only shown in acquiring new things but also in making good use of old ones.
It must be reiterated that
Buddhism doesn’t insist that people opt for poverty over wealth, or that one
should be denigrated for being rich. In fact, in the endeavor to eliminate
suffering, dire poverty is not always an ideal situation. Great impoverishment
can create obstacles for individuals to commit themselves to the spiritual
path.[viii] As a popular Vietnamese
saying goes, “Có thực mới vực được đạo,” which can be translated as: “You
need food to uphold the faith,” or “One must have sustenance to follow the
path.” Although destitution is not desirable, neither is a life singularly
focused on acquisition of material wealth. As the Buddha repeatedly warned his
disciples, “Few are those people in the world who, when they obtain superior
possessions, do not become intoxicated and negligent, yield to greed for
sensual pleasures, and mistreat other beings.”[ix] The Buddha’s admonition
is reminiscent of Jesus’ observation that “for where your treasure is, there
your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34).
Contentment stands opposed
to non-contentment and craving (tanhā). Tanhā is the thirst or
craving of the individual for temporary personal gratification and fulfillment,
often at the expense of others and the environment.[x] According to Christmas
Humphreys, craving represents
those inclinations which tend to continue or
increase separateness, the separate existence of the subject of desire; in
fact, all forms of selfishness, the essence of which is desire for oneself at
the expense, if necessary, of others. Life being one, all that tends to
separate one aspect from another must cause suffering to the unit which,
usually unconsciously, works against the Law. Our duty to our fellows is to
understand them as extensions of ourselves—fellow facets of the same Reality.[xi]
Craving leads to suffering,
or unsatisfactoriness, because we are never fulfilled by what we have and
continue to seek fulfillment in impermanent things—a futile endeavor. Seneca,
the Stoic philosopher said that people are not poor because they have too
little, but because they crave to have more. From a Buddhist perspective, the
relentless pursuit of fulfilling desires is itself a form of suffering.
Buddhism advocates for the cultivation of contentment and the cessation of
craving as a more effective path to inner peace and fulfillment.[xii]
Sangharakshita affirmed
that contentment is one of the “qualities that lead, in the long run, to the
enjoyment of that vision of the Truth which alone can satisfy the deepest
longings of the human heart.”[xiii] In the wise words of David Loy, “the main
issue is not how poor or wealthy we are, but how by them we respond to our
situation. The wisdom that develops naturally from nonattachment is knowing how
to be content with what we have.”[xiv] Thus, like moderation,
contentment is considered opposed to greed.[xv] As the Dalai Lama
commented, “One interesting thing about greed is that although the underlying
motive is to seek satisfaction, the irony is that even after obtaining the
object of your desire you are still not satisfied. The true antidote of greed
is contentment.”
Contentment is also the
antidote to upādāna, translated as clinging or attachment.[xvi] According to
Buddhaghosa, clinging is an intensified degree of craving. In the Path to
Purification, he differentiated these two notions as follows: “Craving is
the aspiring to an object that one has not yet reached, like a thief’s
stretching out his hand in the dark; clinging is the grasping of an object that
one has reached, like the thief’s grasping his objective.”[xvii]
There are four categories
of clinging.[xviii]
First, sensuous clinging (kāmupādāna) involves attachment to sensory
experiences and desires, including the lust, passion, and delusion associated
with sensory objects. This type of clinging can create “sensuous fetters” that
trap individuals in cycles of desire and dissatisfaction. Second, clinging to
views (ditthupādāna) refers to rigidly holding onto specific beliefs or
opinions about reality, such as the erroneous belief that good deeds yield no
results. Such rigid views can limit one’s understanding of moral and ethical
principles, preventing personal growth and insight into the nature of
existence.
Third, clinging to mere
rules and ritual (sīlabbatupādāna) involves the belief that adherence to
rituals and rules alone can lead to spiritual purification or enlightenment. Despite
the importance of ethical conduct, clinging to the idea that mere observance of
rituals is sufficient can divert practitioners from deeper insights and genuine
understanding. Finally, clinging to the personality-belief (atta-vādupādāna)
refers to attachment to ego and the self, including various forms of ego-views
about one’s identity and existence. Such beliefs can create a sense of
separation and a fixed notion of self, which contradicts the Buddhist
understanding of non-self (anattā) and the potential for entering into intimate
relationship with others.
In addition to opposing
craving and clinging, the Buddha taught that contentment is a cornerstone of
mental purity. He challenged the belief that external rituals, like bathing,
determine purity. Instead, the true path to a pure mind lies within ourselves.
Contentment is a crucial element in this internal purification. When coupled
with other “skillful deeds,” such as avoiding violence, stealing, and sexual
misconduct, contentment helps to foster a state of peace and harmony in the
mind.[xix]
Contentment is a quality
not only to be cultivated personally but also to be shared with others so that
they may be aware of its great value. The Buddha declared, “Bhikkhus, there are
these ten grounds for praise. What ten?... He is himself content and speaks to
the bhikkhus on contentment. This is a ground for praise.”[xx] Such guidance helps to
nurture and strengthen positive practices within the monastic community. When a
bhikkhu engages in conversations on contentment, he not only reaffirms his own
commitment to simplicity but also inspires and uplifts others, fostering a
supportive environment where contentment becomes a shared ideal, a pillar of a
peaceful and meaningful monastic life.
Imagine a group of young
novices who often sit together reminiscing about the days before their monastic
commitment, days filled with the freedoms and indulgences of worldly life. Such
idle conversations could easily reignite desires for those fleeting pleasures,
distracting them from their spiritual path. In contrast, by discussing
contentment, they gently remind one another of the richness of their chosen
path—the satisfaction found in simplicity, the freedom from wants, and the
focus on inner growth. In this way, speaking about contentment serves as an
effective tool for mutual encouragement and spiritual advancement, rooting the
monastic community in shared values and collective growth.
Similar to the virtue of
moderation and other virtues presented in this book, contentment is not meant
to be applied to individuals in monastic life only. Lay people are equally
encouraged to cultivate this quality in their life. According to Bhuddaghosa,
contentment along with fewness of wishes fall under “right livelihood.”[xxi] Indeed, the Buddha’s teaching on the value of contentment in the
Dhammapada is applicable to monks as they are to lay people as
guidance for daily life: “Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the
greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, nibbāna is the
greatest bliss.”[xxii]
[iii] David
Loy, The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory (Boston: Wisdom,
2003), 57.
[viii] David
Loy, The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory (Boston: Wisdom,
2003), 74.
[x] G. P.
Malalasekera, “The Status of the Individual in Theravāda Buddhism,” Philosophy
East and West 14, no. 2 (1964): 152.
[xi]
Christmas Humphreys, Buddhism (Harmondsworth, England: Pelican Books,
1951), 91.
[xii] Payutto, Prayudh. Buddhist
Economics: A Middle Way for the Marketplace.
http://pioneer.netserv.chula.ac.th/~sprapant/Buddhism/buddhist_econ.html#Wealth%20and%20Spiritual%20Development.
[xiii]
Sangharakshita (trans.), Dhammapada:
The Way of Truth, (UK: Windhorse
Publications, 2000), online version.
[xiv] David
Loy, The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory (Boston: Wisdom,
2003), 73.
