Working in the Right Spirit: The Application of Buddhist Right Livelihood in the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order

The article develops its argument through several connected sections. It first situates Buddhism’s expansion in the West, noting the growth of Buddhist centers, new social concerns, and adaptive interpretations among Western converts. It then explains the classical Buddhist framework of ethics, especially Right Livelihood, and contrasts it with Weber’s thesis that Buddhism is largely world-indifferent and lacks a rational ethic of economic engagement. Against this background, Baumann introduces the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, its foundation by Sangharakshita, its institutional structure, and its effort to create a distinctly Western Buddhist form suited to modern secular and industrial contexts. The central part of the article analyzes FWBO interpretations of sīla and Right Livelihood, showing how work is reframed as a field of spiritual practice, cooperative organization, generosity, and social transformation. The concluding sections assess this as a Buddhist reevaluation of society and work, arguing that the FWBO demonstrates Buddhism’s capacity to adapt creatively to modern conditions by integrating economic activity, ethical discipline, and soteriological aspiration.