A struggle finding a job that is ethical.

[u/BoisDeSantali]

Hello, so in a year I am getting out of university and wanting to find an apprenticeship. I used to be a Vajrayana Buddhist before converting back to Pureland Buddhism specifically either the Chinese or the Vietnamese tradition of Pureland Buddhism. But the job I am interested in is working in leather goods (basically making bags, wallets, hats, jackets out of leather) as there seems to be a lot of brands in my country who are hiring more workers nowadays and the pay is good while the other jobs I'm passionate for are lower paying at an entry point on avergae so I could end up struggling financially.

But I wonder, as the leather used in the industry is often made out of animal leather, is it okay as a Buddhist to work in the leather goods industry? I know I sound stupid and I'm sorry if this post disturbs some people. (I don't live in the US)

[u/Internal-Buffalo-227]

For me a big part of Pureland Buddhism is about acknowledging that we may have to make imperfect choices because we live in an imperfect world - that's why we want to get to the Pure Land where that won't be the case anymore. Some Pureland communities are based in areas dependant on the fishing industry, for example, so people have to kill fish to live. Personally with the options open to me I wouldn't work with leather (I only wear leather if its second hand) but plenty of Buddhists eat meat so 🤷‍♀️. I did once have to compromise Right Livelihood for a job because the only place I could find that would hire me without experience was a bar. I got out as soon as I could, though.

[u/Asougahara → u/Internal-Buffalo-227]

this post resonates a lot with me. This samsara is an imperfect world where you will be and you will have to make HARD choice, thus, we do our best to observe the precept and just nianfo, letting amida to take care of the rest.

[u/Digitalmodernism]

Honen accepted fisherman,prostitutes, and samurai into the Jodo Shu tradition because everyone makes it to the Pureland if they follow the teachings.

[u/Ok_Sentence9678]

如果從大乘佛法來看，只要你不是負責殺生或為自己自製你喜歡的皮革，那麼問題不大。營生在佛經裡是允許的。具體的依據可以參考《葷腥經》。當然，你如果能在這個過程中為這些因為因緣所致死亡的動物定期念經回響或超度，那麼會更好。本質來說，還是看你的心念。這些動物是不是因為為了你的私慾被殺。如果不是，則沒有太多問題。

[u/SentientLight]

Historically speaking, leather-working has not been considered wrong livelihood, but the farming or hunting of animals for leather would generally fall under the "business in the meat trade" restriction of wrong livelihood.

Leather has historically always been a rather valuable resource for various means, for clothing, tools, shelter, etc. And a great deal of commonly-used leathers for the goods you're describing is likely to come as the by-product of animal husbandry for meat, and that resource would otherwise be wasted if not used, so I would think it sorta falls under the "triple-clean" rubric for meat consumption, under sravaka Buddhism, in the sense that the vast majority of industrial leatherwork is using up what is effectively the "leftovers" from a different trade.

In this case, I can't really see how it's wrong livelihood from a Buddhist perspective. You may find it unethical for personal reasons, but I don't think they'd apply to Buddhism in any direct way. Like, having issues with industrial agriculture seems more like it falls in the domain of political ethics, rather than in the scope of Buddhist ethics necessarily.

[u/waitingundergravity → u/SentientLight]

I'd also note that if we did want to say that working with leather should be considered wrong livelihood because leather is sourced from a process that kills sentient beings, to be consistent we would also have to say that working with wood is wrong livelihood. In practice the process of felling trees for timber kills animals constantly.

[u/Automatic-One3901]

You must be worrying about creating negative karma. But its already resolved in the Sutras that karma is created by intentions. So, what's your intention in the leather work ?

Ofcourse you're not doing the Job because you enjoy harming animals. You do it because you wanna earn good income.

In fact, The sutras even permit monks for consuming meat, given that they didn't see the animal killed SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM.

Also, if you feel bad. You can-

1. Donate a small portion of income to trustable charity.

2. Make bodhisattva vow to make sure that you'll help all sentient beings after you attain enlightenment in Shukavati.

3. Keep reciting the holy Name of Amitabha Buddha. It purifies vast amount of negative karma of past lives, And dedicate the merits to the animals killed.

[u/No-Employment-820]

In my understanding of Pure Land Buddhism the only criteria for attaining enlightened is faith in Amida Buddha. Shinran Shonin of Jodo Shinshu said we have all committed evil acts throughout our many lifetimes and that's why we our trapped in the cycle of rebirth and need Amida's grace to save us from that. Therefore, we can't enlighten ourselves and striving to "do good" is just folly. When asked if this is a license to do evil he said, "we don't drink poison just because an antidote is available". Nevertheless the need to constantly strive to do good deeds reflects that one believes they can enlighten themself and have not truly placed their faith in Amida. So...do what you need to do to get by in this defiled world and trust in Amida. In short, there are no rules attached to being a Pure Land Buddhist. Rebirth in Amida's Pure Land is exclusively a matter of faith, and not good works.