[Buddha-l] Poll on Buddho-capitalism

[Joy Vriens]

Richard wrote:

>I am pretty familiar with the major and minor Buddhist precepts and have spent  
>a fair amount of my life reflecting on how best to observe them. (I have also  
>spent a fair amount of my life failing to observe them, but that is not for  
>want of understanding them.) With that preamble, I have to say I cannot see  
>how capitalism conflicts with any Buddhist principles. 

I see it to conflict with Buddhist principles, but for me Buddhist principles and capitalism don't need to meet. In other words I am not looking for a Buddhist form of capitalism that would one allow to be both a Buddhist and a capitalist in all comfort. I see a tension between both principles and think it is a healthy one and one that should be maintained, not resolved for the sake of potential benefactor's peace of mind.

Whatever is not yours, monks,-- abandon it! 
When you have abandoned it, 
that will lead to your welfare 
and happiness for a long time. 
And what is it that is not yours? 
Material form is not yours -- abandon it! 
Feeling is not yours -- abandon it! 
Perception is not yours -- abandon it! 
Formations are not yours -- abandon them! 
Consciousness is not yours -- abandon it! 
When you have abandoned it, 
that will lead to your welfare 
and happiness for a long time. 

MN 22 

The impulse "I want" 
and the impulse "I'll have" -- lose them! 
That is where most people get stuck. 
Without those, you can use your eyes 
to guide you through this suffering state. 

Sn 706 

When he does not think: 
"This is mine" or ""That belongs to them"; 
then, since there is no self there, 
he cannot grieve with the thought, 
"I do not have". 

Sn 951 

The main virtue of Buddhism, it's basic principle is renunciation. Does renunciation conflict with capitalism? Does "décroissance" conflict with "croissance"?