Right Livelihood

DEFINITION
Della Duncan

Mainstream economists would have us believe that work is a burden. The concept of Right Livelihood instead reframes work as something that is worthwhile and beneficial, arising from our desire to live in alignment with our values and contribute meaningfully to the world.

The pursuit of Right Livelihood refers to the type of work we do as well as our attitude towards work itself. In contrast to conventional, professional development narratives around ‘climbing the corporate ladder’ or equating progress with making more money, Right Livelihood offers a view of work as a vehicle for self-actualization, systems change, and planetary healing.

Right Livelihood invites the practice of approaching work with joy and intention and committing ourselves to efforts that support justice, equity, and sustainability. These include efforts that prevent, identify and heal harm, and shift values that are in alignment with human and ecological well being. If we find ourselves in work that is exploitative or extractive, a commitment to cultivating Right Livelihood empowers us to, when possible, change workplaces from within or to say no and instead turn towards work that reduces suffering.

By consciously aligning our intentions for Right Livelihood with the unfolding currents of global transformation, we realize our unique contributions to a more life-sustaining and enlivening world—simultaneously connecting with one another in the shared intergenerational project of building a more sustainable and equitable future on Earth.

Right Livelihood has its origin in Buddhist philosophy and practice. It is the 5th mindfulness training that the Buddha shared in the Noble Eightfold Path alongside right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right effort, right concentration, and right mindfulness. Right Livelihood reframes work as part of a spiritual path. It is one way we might take our spirituality off the meditation cushion and into embodied action in daily life.

Screenshot 2024 11 12 at 9 48 50 pm

In the Sierra Oaxaqueña, a farmer extends his arm, inviting a Horse Lubber to land upon it. Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, Mexico, 2023
Photography By Pamela EA

RESEARCH
Research by Micheala Chan
Text by Sorah Park
Fact-checking by Hailey Basiouny

February 19, 2025

Right Livelihood is a practice that originates from Buddhism - a philosophical teaching Buddha shared as part of the Noble Eightfold Path. It is the fifth mindfulness training that reframes activity to include compassion and to create positive impact through labor. Buddha’s teachings are internal methods of expanding our inner selves to ultimately serve the greater society, resulting in lasting, systemic changes.

The origin of the term comes from the Pāli word ‘ājīva’ which refers to a way of living. ‘Sammā’ means good, right or correct. Together, they make up ‘Sammā-ājīva’, roughly translating to Right Livelihood. In the Four Noble Truths, Buddha acknowledges suffering in our world, and the underlying causes are attachments to destructive behavior such as greed and hatred. To achieve alleviation from suffering and attachment, the Buddha put forth a set of principles in the Noble Eightfold Path, including Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. Buddhists believe following this path and applying it into everyday practice will transform suffering into well being.

Ancient Sri Lanka serves as a case study for Right Livelihood in practice. Their cultural system was built on the idea of dependent co-origination and imbued the awareness of interconnectedness between nature and society. By emphasizing the mutual benefit between society and environment, ancient Sri Lankans sustained social progress and sustainable development—demonstrating that human desires and needs can be fulfilled alongside environmental preservation. With the current climate crisis increasing the frequency of extreme weather disasters and displacing millions of climate refugees across the world, the urgency for harmony between our ecosystems and human life has never been greater.

There are modern economies practicing Right Livelihood that serve as a model for an ethical society, encouraging generosity and compassion as a collective. Bhutan, a Buddhist country, instills Right Livelihood in their economic policies. As such, Gross National Happiness is measured and used as a decision-making tool. Happiness is valued and linked to a connection with the natural environment and mind. This system recognizes that happiness also comes from service, our environmental surroundings, and collective salvation. Therefore, one’s happiness is not distinguished from the happiness of others.

In socially engaged Buddhist countries like Bhutan, economies are designed to prioritize the needs of the collective population and preserve the environment with ecological regeneration. Within the lens of Right Livelihood, the underlying root causes of suffering are institutionalized greed, hatred and self attachment. In our dominant capitalist system that prioritizes shareholder value and profit maximization, the process of mindful transformation begins at the local level. This looks like mutual aid, volunteering with community groups, and supporting small businesses and grassroots movements without attachment to the outcome. Some key aspects of a Buddhist economic system include non-violence, removal of exploitation, and advocacy of moderate consumption.

The heart of Buddha’s teachings are directly tied to environmentalism, for all life beings are intrinsically interconnected, including the more-than-human life. By looking beyond our individual selves and incorporating Right Livelihood into daily practice, such as through our work, individuals can choose a vocation that actively reduces harm to the planet, instead of increasing the suffering and ecological crisis that exists.

Right Livelihood is not solely applied to paid labor and the professional environment. It informs us on how to contribute to society, humanity, and the planet beyond our homes and offices. It takes us out of our sense of self, making connections to our role in the larger world. In contrast, Western psychology tends to study the individual. Right Livelihood is an invitation to weave paths together with our neighbors and trees. It is a call to action to challenge our unnatural alienation from the natural world, which encourages indifference to capitalism and imperialism—manmade systems responsible for planetary harm.

Buddha’s fifth mindfulness training inspired the Right Livelihood Award, established by Jakob von Uexküll after failing to convince the Nobel Foundation to create an environmental award and another one to promote global perspectives and wisdom. The concept behind these awards were a result of the lack of urgent solutions to challenges all over the world. The Right Livelihood Award recognizes changemakers “fighting for a just, peaceful and sustainable world”. As we continue the human journey of self development and fulfillment, let us be reminded of Buddha’s venerable teachings that show us that this cannot be achieved separately. As we work to heal our inner and outer world, the planet heals us back. This spiritual path has a transformative power to awaken us to dismantle the distinctions that divide human and nature, thus nurturing the web of life and restoring its balance.