Nothing personal, it’s just business. As much as I hate to admit it I can pretty confident day that this has been my maxim for the last twelve years or so that I have run my own business. Whether it’s dealing with customers who seem to have unrealistic and incredibly high expectations or with trouble employees there comes a point where I seem to lose sight of the Dhamma and proceed according to the what makes sense in terms of profit for the company. But, as I think is manifestly evident, the purify motive and the Dhamma rarely meet in means and certainly have completely different aims.
So what to do with this quandary? Aside from bringing awareness to it and trying my best to make better choices within the limits range I have I’m not sure there is much I can do? And yet there is at least a sense of refuge and an unbinding of the right knot of suffering when I can reframe this problem as not solely business decisions but opportunities for Dhamma practice.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
That is always a tough question, especially when spiritual awareness and poverty were so closely linked for so long–renunciates exist in all spiritual traditions, and the idea of cutting ties with the material world to free up space for spiritual pursuits can seem appealing, especially when you find yourself “in the context of a full-blown lay life.” But it is precisely in the midst of this real, everyday life that we are handed all sorts of opportunities to experience the spiritual aspect in all of our choices. If you want a solvent business, there must be profit. Making profit involves many decisions, and it is essential to have boundaries with customers. Just the fact that you are raising these questions means that you have taken the dhamma to heart and are considering the impact of your choices. I’m a firm believer that we are all exactly where we need to be. Good luck, friend, as you navigate the quandary!
By: Lorien on 02/03/2015
at 5:07 am