Six Ways of Wasting One’s Substance

Householder’s son, and which are the six ways of wasting one’s substance that the Noble Disciple does not follow?

(1) Addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that cause heedlessness) is one way of wasting one’s substance,

(2) haunting the streets at unfitting times is one,

(3) attending fairs is one,

(4) being addicted to gambling is one,

(5) keeping unwholesome company is one,

(6) habitual idleness is one.

Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that cause heedlessness):

(1) present waste of money,

(2) increased arguments,

(3) liability to sickness,

(4) loss of good name,

(5) indecent exposure of one’s person,

(6) weakening of the intellect (wisdom).

Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to haunting the streets at unfitting times:

(1) one is defenseless and without protection,

(2) and so are one’s wife (life partner) and children,

(3) and so is one’s property,

(4) one is suspected of crimes,

(5) false reports are pinned on one,

(6) one encounters all sorts of unpleasantness.

Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to frequenting fairs:

(One is always thinking)

(1) Where is there dancing?

(2) Where is there singing?

(3) Where are they playing music?

(4) Where are they reciting?

(5) Where is there hand-clapping?

(6) Where are the drums?

Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to gambling:

(1) the winner makes enemies,

(2) the loser regrets his loss,

(3) one wastes one’s present wealth,

(4) one’s word is not trusted in the community,

(5) one is despised by one’s friends and companions,

(6) one is not in demand for marriage, because a gambler cannot afford to maintain a wife (life partner).

Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to keeping unwholesome company:

(1) any gambler,

(2) any glutton,

(3) any drunkard,

(4) any cheat,

(5) any trickster,

(6) any bully is his friend, his companion.

There are these six dangers attached to idleness:

(1) thinking: “it’s too cold”, one does not work;

(2) thinking: “it’s too hot”, one does not work;

(3) thinking: “it’s too early”, one does not work;

(4) thinking: “it’s too late”, one does not work;

(5) thinking: “I’m too hungry”, one does not work;

(6) thinking: “I’m too full”, one does not work.

(Reference: DN 31)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares six ways that one can waste their substance and he guides Students to improve their life practice through avoiding these “dangers”.

One’s substance can be thought of as “the most vital or essential part of something”.

So, if one is “wasting their substance”, they are “weakening their vital energy and capacity of the mind to function optimally”.

When the mind is lacking energy and not functioning optimally, that is an ideal time for one to lose mindfulness (awareness of mind), concentration, and, thus, lack the ability to access wisdom to make wholesome decisions. In doing so, any unwholesome decisions are going to produce unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma). So maintaining one’s substance to ensure the mind has vital energy and the mind functions optimally is highly important in cultivating the mind towards Enlightenment as part of The Path to Enlightenment.

In this Teaching, The Buddha provides the unwholesome outcomes to be experienced if one were to participate in any of these six ways of wasting one’s substance. These are described as “dangers” because these are potential outcomes for one who chooses to “waste their substance” and there is a real danger of causing harm to one’s own mind and life should a Practitioner choose to participate in these activities.

(1) First, “addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that cause heedlessness) is one way of wasting one's substance” in that through having a mind that is careless, thoughtless, inattentive, un-calm, unaware, or unmindful an individual will make unwise decisions creating unwholesome results.

Ingesting substances that cause heedlessness would diminish their ability to practice mental calmness which weakens mindfulness (awareness of mind), concentration, and one’s ability to access wisdom.

Lacking wisdom, an individual will make countless unwise decisions leading to unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma) as it would be extremely difficult to practice these Teachings applying the wisdom, therein, while the mind is heedless. Through unwise decision making one will be causing harm in the world, thus, harm will be returned to an individual who is heedless through unbeneficial outcomes such as those mentioned by Gotama Buddha.

Due to the unwholesome decision to ingest substances that cause heedlessness, Gotama Buddha shares one would (1) waste money, (2) argue often, (3) experience sickness, (4) lose a good reputation, (5) show the unwholesome side of one’s character, and (6) weaken their ability to access wisdom in the mind.

(2) Second, “haunting the streets at unfitting times” would mean that one is outside their home late at night or in early morning involved in activities that are unwholesome.

As one is training the mind towards awakening to Enlightenment, they are choosing to “walk towards the light”. Doing so, one can come to understand that in most places in the world there are not many wholesome things that happen on the streets in the late night or early morning hours.

While one does not need to be fearful of being out at night, a wise Practitioner who is choosing to walk towards the light being involved in wholesome activities might decide to conduct their daily activities in the day light hours when wholesome activities are happening in most cities and towns.

Due to the unwholesome decision to haunt the streets at unfitting times, Gotama Buddha shares (1) one is defenseless and without protection, (2) a person’s family is defenseless and without protection as one is away from them during times when harm may come to them, (3) a person’s property is defenseless and without protection as one is away from home during times when harm may come to one’s property, (4) one is suspected of crimes due to the reputation of being out at unfitting times, (5) false reports are given to others in the community or government authorities based on the tarnished reputation, and (6) one encounters all sorts of unpleasantness as what transpires in times of darkness is oftentimes unwholesome in nature.

A city or town can oftentimes become a very different place during late night or early morning hours when darkness arrives. Choosing to be out in the darkness can result in unwholesome outcomes as this is typically when unwholesome activities are taking place.

It is wise to plan activities that are wholesome and conduct those during daylight hours when wholesome outcomes can be accomplished.

(3) Third, “attending fairs” is another way that Gotama Buddha shared that one would be “wasting their substance” resulting in “weakening their vital energy and capacity of the mind to function optimally”.

During Gotama Buddha’s lifetime, the primary form of entertainment would have been through “attending fairs”. There was no television, internet, large sporting events, or other activities that we experience today. Instead, it was (1) dancing, (2) singing, (3) playing music, (4) reciting, (5) hand-clapping, and (6) drums that the mind might have craving/desire/attachment towards and cause the mind to lack mindfulness and concentration based on the arising craving/desire/attachment to attend fairs or entertainment.

There is nothing about this Path to Enlightenment that would preclude one from attending entertainment venues or events. What a Practitioner needs to be aware of is how the mind can oftentimes long or yearn for entertainment as a way to coverup boredom or loneliness. A Practitioner who overlooks this discontentedness and instead fills their time with entertainment, being unable to experience peacefulness or calmness, would need to eliminate the craving/desire/attachment (mental longing with a strong eagerness) for entertainment to attain Enlightenment. Then, after the mind has eliminated this craving/desire/attachment, if a Practitioner’s mind can reside unaffected just as peaceful and calm whether they do or don’t attend entertainment venues or events, they might choose to participate in entertainment.

Oftentimes to observe if there is any craving/desire/attachment, a Practitioner will need to eliminate something like entertainment for a period of time to observe if there is any arising discontentedness associated with not taking part in something like entertainment. Then, after several months or years of not taking part in entertainment, knowing that the mind is peaceful and calm without boredom or loneliness, if a Practitioner chooses to participate in entertainment, that is possible as the Practitioner knows their mind has no craving/desire/attachment to entertainment. But, a Practitioner would be unknowing of this reality and find it difficult to see the truth until they have tested the mind through eliminating entertainment for a period of time to observe the effect, if any, that may be experienced.

(4) Fourth, “being addicted to gambling” is only going to cause one’s mind to experience difficulties through craving/desire/attachment to money and wealth. There are six dangers that The Buddha shares as a result of one being addicted to gambling. An individual can experience that (1) the winner makes enemies, (2) the loser regrets his loss, (3) one wastes one's present wealth, (4) one's word is not trusted in the community, (5) one is despised by one's friends and companions, and (6) one is not in demand for marriage, because a gambler cannot afford to maintain a wife (life partner).

These potential dangers will drastically affect one’s life and ability to reside with a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy finding it a struggle to have wholesome opportunities to cultivate wholesome relationships to improve one’s life.

(5) Fifth, “keeping unwholesome company” is another way that The Buddha is encouraging a Practitioner to cultivate wholesome relationships ensuring one develops wholesome influences in their life. He provides specific examples of unwholesome qualities to help you understand the decisions to maintain relationships with individuals that possess these qualities would be unwise and affect your life.

Friends who are (1) a gambler, (2) a glutton, (3) a drunkard, (4) a cheat, (5) a trickster, and (6) a bully as a friend or companion would only serve to influence a Practitioner’s mind in unwholesome ways. Choosing to associate with unwholesome friends can affect one through the unwholesome decisions that others make and it would be wise to cultivate wholesome relationships avoiding individuals with these qualities.

A gambler is one who has excessive craving/desire/attachment for money and wealth through betting sums of money on a game of chance. An individual with excessive craving/desire/attachment for money or wealth, even without being a gambler, will make decisions motivated by this craving with strained relationships.

A glutton is an excessively greedy eater. One who is unwilling to share something as simple as food is an indication of excessive craving/desire/attachment in the mind. One would find it difficult to cultivate wholesome relationships with an individual who has extensive craving in the mind as their decisions are going to be motivated through craving/desire/attachment producing unwholesome results that may affect you.

A drunkard is a person who is habitually heedless through addiction to substances that cause heedlessness. A person who is addicted to substances will have significant craving/desire/attachment in the mind making it difficult for them to cultivate wholesome relationships.

A cheat is a person who acts dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage. Observing this conduct, it would be wise to choose not to associate with an individual who is considered a cheat as they will have the same conduct interacting with you resulting in unwholesome outcomes.

A trickster is a person who deceives people and has fraudulent conduct. Again, the decision to maintain relationships with someone with this type of conduct will affect you in unwholesome ways based on your decision to maintain a relationship with someone who is deceitful.

A bully is a person who habitually seeks to harm, intimidate, or coerce those whom they perceive as vulnerable. They are oftentimes mentally, verbally, or physically abusive to people and it is only a matter of time before you become the next target.

A suggestion for selecting wholesome friends would include cultivating relationships with individuals who are practicing The Five Precepts as a baseline minimum. A Practitioner might also seek friends who are learning and practicing The Eight Fold Path as these individuals will be applying effort to improve their life practice being aware to not cause harm through their decisions.

While you may live in a region of the world where these Teachings are not widely known or practiced, many traditions in the world share Teachings that have some similarities to what The Buddha taught as The Five Precepts and the moral conduct found in The Eight Fold Path. Knowing that any decisions made in contrast to these Teachings will produce unwholesome results, choosing to associate with wholesome friends who are making decisions in their own life rooted in what you know to be wise decisions based on The Natural Law of Kamma will produce wholesome results for you.

(6) Sixth, “habitual idleness” would not produce wholesome outcomes for one’s life. Procrastination, complacency, negligence, or habitual idleness would only result in your continued decline as you would not be making wise decisions to improve your life but instead, be lacking motivation and enthusiasm towards building up your life.

An individual who is habitually idle would look for any and all excuses why they are unable to apply effort and energy towards work. The Buddha shares that one’s mind might be thinking (1) it's too cold, (2) it's too hot, (3) it's too early, (4) it's too late, (5) I’m too hungry, or (6) I’m too full and, therefore, one does not work.

If the mind is experiencing or does experience habitual idleness, a Practitioner will need to train the mind to be active, attentive, alert, with interest and willingness to do something. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment provide guidance on arising qualities of mind to eliminate a sluggish or unmotivated mind.

Detailed explanation of The Seven Factors of Enlightenment is available in this same book series found in Chapter 3 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

Developing the mind to perform optimally would be to choose not to waste one’s substance and instead, direct time, effort, energy, and resources to improving one’s life.

Deciding to eliminate these six ways of wasting one’s substance will result in focus and attention towards wholesome goals and objectives that support your continued growth in life.