Buddha said one must avoid six ways of
squandering wealth.
1. Heedlessness caused by intoxication.
2. Roaming the streets at inappropriate
times.
3. Habitual partying.
4. Compulsive gambling.
5. Bad companionship, and
6. Laziness are the six ways of squandering
wealth.
Among them one is Compulsive Gambling.
As per the sacred Buddhist text known as
“Sigalovada Sutta: The Layman’s Code of Discipline.” (“Long Discourses of
Buddha”) Buddha saw gambling as an unskilful activity. He said there are these
six dangers of being addicted to gambling.
1. In winning one begets hatred.
2. In losing one mourns the loss of one's
wealth.
3. One's word is not accepted in court.
4. One is avoided by both friends and
officials.
5. One is not sought after for marriage
because people say a gambler cannot support a wife.
6. Squandering wealth on dice leads to one's
decline.
Gamble is to risk money on games of chance.
Under extreme condition gambler put on his house, land and even loses his
wife and children.
In general there are three types of gambling:
- recreational.
- habitual.
- addictive.
The first type is when someone occasionally
plays cards or dice for small amount or buys a lottery ticket to support a
charity.
Habitual gambling is to gamble a significant
but manageable percentage of one's income on a regular basis.
Addictive gambling is the inability to resist
the opportunity to gamble and thus be constantly in debt. And unfortunately
many fall in this category.
From a Buddhist perspective, recreational
gambling would be considered harmless and not against the Precepts.
However, because all gambling plays on at
least some element of greed, it is certainly unbecoming for Buddhist
organizations to raise funds by lotteries and games of chance.
Habitual and addictive gambling are
psychologically, socially and spiritually harmful because they are motivated by
and reinforce delusion, avarice (insatiable desire for wealth) and the mistaken
belief in good and bad luck.
For the Buddha, it is being virtuous that
makes one lucky, not having a winning streak.
He said: `If a gambler were to win a fortune
on his very first throw his luck would nonetheless be insignificant.
It is many times more lucky to conduct oneself
wisely with body, speech and mind and after death be reborn in heaven.
Even Guru Rinpoche is against gambling as he
said "Gambler will die of stomach disorder".
Gambling also brings disharmony in the house
and the families. It will harm the well being of ones own children.
Gambling is illegal in Bhutan.
According to legal statute 393, citizens or
visitors will be guilty of gambling in Bhutan if that person "stakes or
wagers something of value" on a "contingent event" or
"contest of chance" not under the person's "control or
influence" in common bargain with a second party whereupon the said person
will gain "something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
The law also states that the crime of gambling
is considered a petty misdemeanor.
Think seriously and Stop this evil and
unwanted game.
