Economics as if spirit matters most
[ by Charles Cameron — Zen Buddhist monasticism and the Desert Fathers concur ]
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I’m grateful to Grurray for pointing me to the Desert Fathers quote, which reminded me to chase down the Suzuki.
Sources:
DT Suzuki, Selected Works, Vol III, Comparative Religion Dylan Pahman, The Monk as Merchant: Economic Wisdom from a Desert Hermit
August 4th, 2016 at 4:01 pm
“Work—especially physical labor—wards off the passion of acedia, a sort of spiritual listlessness that causes laziness, boredom, and discontent.”
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Acedia was more than that to the old monks. It was a demon that infested the heart with discouragement, despair, and hatreds. I’ve seen it compared to Mara, the tempter of Siddhartha, but I’m not sure that’s the right analogy.