Editing SG33SHS-T (section)

=== 26. The Ideal Life for Buddhists ===

The ideal lifestyle for Buddhists was a monastic life that renounced personal desires. The monastic life is a communal and social life, as opposed to life in a society driven by personal profit. Temples represented the embodiment of this communal living ideal. Therefore, material possessions were referred to as ''shihōmono'' 四方物<ref>''Shihōmono'' (lit. “four directions goods”) refers to universal access or usage.</ref> or ''jūmotsu'' 什物,<ref>''Jūmotsu'' refers to articles for daily use.</ref> indicating their shared nature. These possessions held a collective meaning. They were considered part of the natural way of life based on the fundamental principles of the Buddhist spirit such as “emptiness,” “interdependent co-arising,” “interdependence,” and “selflessness.”<ref>Here Seno’o employs the standard Japanese terms for emptiness (''kū'' 空) and interdependent co-arising (''engi'' 縁起), along with the much less common term ''sōkan sōe'' 相関相依 for “interdependence,” and the neologism ''mugaizumu'' (above, ''mugashugi'') for “selflessness.”</ref>

Of course, during the time of the Buddha, householders were allowed to possess private property and engage in profit-oriented livelihoods. However, even in the lives of householders, the attitude toward possessions was fundamentally the same as that of monastic life. Property was not considered as one’s personal belonging but rather as a societal resource to be stored and managed privately. It was taught that these possessions should be used for the benefit of society when the need arises. The practice of generosity, known as ''dana'' 陀那, was emphasized as a primary condition for the social life of Buddhists, and it can be best understood in light of the reasons mentioned above.

Therefore, it is undeniable that Buddhist practitioners, who have long criticized individualism and private ownership as sources of suffering, and who have embraced the ideals and forms of communal society, must now clearly consider how to engage with the aspirations of the masses who seek socialism in the modern world. It is neither a matter of being attached to material forms, nor is it a matter of being attached to the mind alone. Buddhism teaches the inseparability of matter and mind, and therefore, viewing economic issues and the transformation of institutional structures solely as material problems is already a significant misconception. [Socialism] is not merely a materialistic movement; it is an inherent demand for the continuous development of the essence of social and ecological life. Indeed, the social practice of selflessness should find its complete realization in such awareness and action.

However, the understanding and practice of a communal society through the application of the social sciences is not, of course, identical to the understanding and practice of Buddhism. There is room for mutual criticism in this regard. And yet, when it comes to the ultimate ideal of transforming capitalism into a communal social organization, they are in agreement. Therefore, as Buddhists we should take the lead in advocating for, and participating in, this transformation [toward socialism], and through our participation we should aim for the inner purification of the movement for change.