Buddhism and Minimalism 

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About 4 years ago, I left a well paying, high-stress job- I haven't looked back. My possessions are only what I need or have special meaning. I used to be like a lot of people, good job, big house, big new truck meant I'd attract the perfect woman and have perfect friends, etc... And, it was when I had achieved a very simple life, I met the perfect partner. She passed away recently, and that comes with its own personal loss and grief, yet if I had not changed my life to a sustainable life with meaning, I'd likely never have met her nor been in a place to appreciate what we had together. So yes, it's so incredibly important we find a way of living that syncs with our inner world.

I happen to be a minimalist so I can definitely relate to this video. I think minimalism is related to non-attachment because there's essentially nothing to be attached to with this lifestyle. I also think minimalism gives us more flexibility to live life as we see fit as opposed to having a bunch of obligations that we have to attend to. An example of this is renting a small apartment as opposed to buying a big house with a lot of material possessions in it. I could basically wake up and move to the other side of the country tomorrow if I wanted to. A person who isn't minimalist would have to worry about selling their house, moving their possessions, etc. There are definitely pros and cons to both lifestyles, but for me minimalism is ideal.

😅 I made the big mistake of using credit card 🙈 before I enter to theravada 😬 thanks for the video 🙏. Rich is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

The Konmari method is absolutely life changing. I am happy about how popular it has become in the mainstream recently. In the process going through my home, I could not believe the difference two questions could make (does it spark joy, would I need to buy this again). It completely changed my outlook on consuming new goods. I try to ask myself do I truly need this (or is it desire) and would it fit in my home (One of my favorite parts is each item having a literal place in the home. It makes keeping organized a breeze.)

The story about Baddhiya and the arguments ("Owning/having too much only makes you worry about losing it.") remind me a lot of some ancient Stoics - and of the Fight Club character Tyler Durden: • "The things you own end up owning you." • "The liberator who destroyed my property has realigned my perceptions." • "It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything." Thanks for the great video! 🙏🏻

Thanks, Doug. I think you covered the subject very well. I do know a few people who practice a form of minimalism with the stated intention of environmentalism and I notice that their striving for minimalism brings out the same clinging as in those I know who practice maximalism. For example, they count the number of bags of garbage they throw out per year, identify with that number, tell people about that number, and worry if that number looks likely to go up. They spend large sums on a particular product that promises to maximally reduce their footprint, and then fret if the product fails, because replacing it will lead to a greater footprint than would have resulted from buy a less efficient but more robust product in the first place. I also notice that friends who simply adopt a default position of restraint, in line with ordinary frugality, have similar or lower objective footprints (yes, I think there is such a thing as a subjective footprint) and less stress.

I live alone with animals in a forest and I say those things and I’ve never been a king. It’s just that nice. ❤

This was really insightful! I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos :)

Dear Doug, I appreciate this great talk, very much to learn from these lessons and the sutta. To me, minimalism is not a lay project, but rather a consequence of the lay practice. I do not bother with how much I own, earn, or spend, but I try to focus more on the meditation. Through faith in the path, I believe desire and ignorance slowly fade and weaken with each moment of mindfulness. And this minimalism, this balance and humility naturally follows when there is less desire and delusion.

All we need to own is our breath and our sitting... Easier said than done ;) Great talk, Sir!

Thank you Doug! You pick great topics for your talks.

Thank you Doug, I have been pondering this subject much lately in particular in terms of humankind's lemming-like drive to climate catastrophe. You always manage to insightfully cover a needed topic, and this one more pressing as time goes on. I lived in West Africa for two years, no electricity, no running water, no personal transportation, and oddly I in some odd way was happier having little worry about other than the basics. No bills, very sporadic internet only when in the city and not in the village, no endless barrage of commercials, etc. Social relations where very important in the culture. It took a little adjustment when I moved back to the West.Unfortunately, much of the Western materialistic has infiltrated, and due to colonialism and neo-economic colonialism extracted much material wealth out of all of Africa, the people's lives filled with hardship, hunger, and many health care deficiencies. Our consumerism/materialism (in the ownership sense rather than the philosophical sense) has broken down social relations, where things take over our lives, and our social relationships suffers. I have seen much change in the latter regard since my youth, many decades ago. The whole Madison Avenue ethic exists to convince people that status and identity are built up in the vast array of consumer products as if have the "freedom" to choose among them is the prime end of existence. In fact, the system of capitalism itself turns all things into commodities, even social relationships, and people too when one things about it. Profit becomes the raisson d'etre of living. Let's face it. Our world is heading for environmental disaster because with short-term profit as the driver of civilization, and humanity--unless it changes drastically in relations to each other and our material world--is running on a path toward the inevitable chasm. Sorry to sound like the grim reaper, but I see the solution as the Buddhist approach to living since it gets to the root of our delusions, the Madison Avenue one being that things will make us happy. The Buddha saw through this delusion of how we attach to false views and train our minds, we may be able to wield the metaphorical sword of Manjushri and cut through the vast and omnipresent delusions offered to us as happiness in things. As Thoreau said, if I remember it being him correctly, "Simpy, simplify, simplify."

I have found that most things I buy make me happy for a few days, then sit around for years untouched... Sometimes they make me unhappy because now I have to spend time trying to sell them or end up being a hoarder

I've been into minimalism but found out most yt "minimalists" are just wealthy ppl mostly displaying their clean aesthetics and all the insight they give on minimalism tends to lack depht, I learned couple new things from you within minutes, thank you.

I think rather "Right Amountism" is the exact word. Doing things in right amount on right time. Without Greed without Hatred. An action is Pure when done in right amount on right time.

Been waiting for someone to associate Buddhism and minimalism. Intact minimalism is from Buddhism. Thx for this great vid.

I love philosophy, and your channel always leads me to research and understand buddhist theories that I would have never understood otherwise. You are awesome, keep it up!

I think Materialism and Minimalism are two extremes... Righteousness is in the Middle.. Doing and Having things in the Right Amount for Right Time.. Without Greed for more and without Hate.

Great video Doug an issue as ever well laid out. In my life, I consider the time, n terms of hours worked, I have or need to expend to acquire this object, is there a better more meaningful way for me to spend my time. Beyond this, there is the danger of minimalism is that it can be an expression of nihilism. And just a passing thought the beauty of the dharma is that you can't possess or steal that which is freely given. Thanks again Doug, your videos are always insightful and inspiring.

A valuable discussion as always. I'm glad to come back to it again. Looking into Minimalism on RU-vid over the past few weeks, I've found the most helpful discussions of it to be those not made by Minimalism lifestyle channels. I've felt that a lot of the content I've watched on YT has indeed fallen into the trap you describe, and it's been helpful to have you frame it clearly. The particular aesthetic - mainly in interior design and clothing style - is so prevalent, so apparently important, and still so aspirational, that I've been wondering if what I'm looking at is really any less rooted in material accessories than anything else. The consumption can remain conspicuous, just displaying another kind of status. I've found much of value, but this aspect has been niggling at me. I've only scratched the surface though. Thanks for your work on this channel. I don't think I've commented before, but I look forward to each new video.

On week two of converting to minimalism. So far loving it. Got rid of smart phone got a flip. Also deleted social media and sold my car. Take bus and Uber now saving over 400 a month in transportation expenses alone!

I'm a passionate minimalist. I don't throw cracked plates out, I sometimes reuse trash bags, etc..... Bottom line for me, it's about concern for the environment. The philosophy of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" may not produce as much profit for people, but it certainly can help reduce our catastrophic impact on forests and other ecosystems. The Great Vow asks us help free other beings from suffering, and I strongly believe that doing what we can to reduce the suffering that we cause animals is part of that vow. What you said at 15:30 was awesome.

Already looking forward to the video on Marie Kondo 👌 I’m very interested in the contrast of her distinctly Shinto value system with that of traditional Buddhist value systems.

My perfect middle ground is the "One Cup" method. You own one of everything you need. One cup, one spoon, one fork, one plate, so on and so on. For clothes you need a little more, because even if you keep it clean, wearing the exact same thing every day makes people look at you weird. But simple shirts and pants like monocolored shirts and jeans means you can get by with only 5 of each or so. It keeps my house free of clutter and forces me to clean anytime I need to use anything. It makes things so streamlined and functional. The dishes and laundry can't pile up if they don't exist lol My house is full of one-ofs, and because of that there's plenty of room to stretch out and just be.

Henry David Thoreau certainly was a minimalist. Walden's pond inspired my minimalism.

Watch the movie: "Spirited Away." It is brilliant take on consumption and identity. We used to identify with tribe, country, ethnicity, religion, etc. We now identify by what we own: the kind of car or furniture or whatever.

Very interesting take. Great video!

One is only rich if he has found inner peace with the Divine...🎑

Minimalism or extravagance are all THOUGHTS that arise in the mind. So control and tame the mind . ( which is extremely difficult and easy to say ) BUDDHAS advice is not to go to extremes . { middle path }. Early in life ,as a prince ,he gave up all luxuries and family and went to the forest. After achieving BUDDHA STATE ,he came back and lived in a temple called JETHAWANARAMAYA , which was built and gifted to him by a follower . According to the literature , some millions of currency was spent to build this temple and he did not reject the gift . This clearly illustrates , if you live without mental attachment and clinging , there are no extreme restrictions in Buddhism and Everything is MIND MADE and THOUGHTS.

just only have the things you need, work wise especially, expensive tools and clothing are usually better but they dont need to be flashy

As a Bible believer in Yeshua HaMesshiach I can philosophically relate to minimalism. I’m probably more into a simple life than per se I minimalistic life.

Comedian Norm MacDonald once said 'whether you have lots of stuff or not doesn't matter'. I believe he would say the same about status.

Great critical reference. I think if I was very poor, in the same way I'd never find bless in minimalism (as I'm already forced to have nothing), maybe I would also stay away from buddhism while laboring to death. I would not find time to think about such subtle questions that delight me. I don't know, actually... We are all social beings.

Already subscribed my good sir 😎

Doug is my Guru!

Is consumerism in the world contributed climate change, pollution etc? I think whether in the western world or Eastern world most people are caught up in consumerism.

Do we need more than the four noble truths,eightfold path and the five precepts

@doug's on your next video pls improve on the flow of thoughts

Master minimalist Henry David Thoreau Waldens Pond👌

From a spiritual perspective

Sir, most peoples' attention span is 5-8 minutes on this kind of mental exertion. It'd be good to split your video into two parts.

I guess what I am saying is are we clouding the waters with over thought

Concerns if you are a Buddhism teacher why do you charge so much for your classes and not more free offerings??? Thanks for the RU-vid videos I do enjoy that free offering. Thanks for listening it is an expensive world out there and I know you need money to live, but some people don't have a lot of income and or fixed incomes and we need to learn these lessons too. Thank for listening. Namaste

My dream would be to see people dressed in uniforms. What a stress this new fashion every year !! Most of the time it looks ugly 😱.

Does education count as a kind of status that is excessive and unnecessary?

Love your materialistic ads about buying better cars and amassing more beauty supplies 👎🏼Real classy.

Definitely you're not minimalist with words