Ref- and acknowledgements -- https://www.quora.com/What-did-the-Buddha-say-about-money
What did the Buddha say about money?
The dangerous American myth of corporate spirituality
It’s true, for example, that the Buddha taught that money was a blessing, and that one effect of an ethical way of life would be material prosperity.
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6 Answers
Jos Buurman, Practicing, familiar with various streams of Buddhism
Written Nov 5, 2014
Someone under the ten precepts is not allowed to take money. Monks are not allowed to take money or seek it. The more possessions someone has (including money) the more stress (s)he will experience. Easy to find these.
For anyone for whom money is allowable, the five strings of sensuality are also allowable. For anyone for whom the five strings of sensuality are allowable, money is allowable.
It's not all negative though, several of the lay follower of the Buddha were very rich people and great supporters of the early group of monks. The effect of prosperity (in any form) linked to ethical life can be found in several suttas, not much to argue there. There are suttas explaining which kinds of lifestyle promote wealth and which destroy wealth.
You might check this article for some balanced advice:
Merit: A Study Guide
Min Khin Kyaw, I've been studying Theravada Buddhism for decades.
Written Oct 19
Nothing actually. When monks began to use money and some trouble developed as consequence, He prohibited them using money. That is only a part of Viniya and not for lay people.
Read here Lay Buddhist's Guide to the Monk's Rules
Laity like me better not say much. Monks themselves are responsible for making rules. There are schools that allow monks handle money.
In foreign countries, it’s difficult for monks.
Khiêm Bảo Thiện Software Developer, Buddhist
Written May 8, 2015
Money, at the origin, is just a means to trade. Moreover, it's a form of blessing if considered as result of good deeds.
However, getting obsessed and attached to owning money causes suffering and stops one from being totally liberated.
As contacting with money is one of the conditions leading to one's Lust, the monks and nuns denounce to it.
So money or material prosperity itself is harmless, is neutral. Only unskillful human mind causes suffering. As long as one's mind is still unskillful, one should stop feeding it.
I don't recall any particular quotes from Buddha on the subject. But from Evans-Wentz "Tibetan yoga and secret doctrines", we have: "Affluence, being the manure and water for spiritual growth, is not to be avoided."
Saddha Kumari Loves to study and practice Buddhism.
In Buddhism we have 4 legs of Dhamma:
Worldly
Lay men
Lay women
Transcendent
Monks
Nuns
The Worldly Eightfold Path (Lokatiya Ashtanga Marga) are the ethical guidelines for lay people. As long as we learn to control our lust, greed and aversion, we can make money.
So in Buddhism, a good lay person is one who is ethical, observes the holy day precepts, and is always giving to the Sangha and others.
The Vishaya Jataka is about a millionaire couple who always gives away some of their wealth even when they become poor, they earn just to give.
In Buddhism you can enjoy as well, just always be giving and sharing.
In Buddhism merit caused by giving and sharing is the source of wealth of an ethical person, not greed.