SECTION THREE
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE
 
 
15. THE FAMILY SUCCESSOR
(A worthy heir)
 
A family's successor, in addition to inheriting the wealth and family name, must also take over various duties and adopt certain virtuous qualities which are related to preserving the family lineage. In the first place, as a good heir, he should abide by the following principles:
 
A. Opening the doorway to growth and progress  : practicing according to the six conditions that are a doorway to benefit and happiness or the practices that are like a gateway of victory opening onto advancement in life (vaddhanamukha*), as follows:
        1. Arogya: maintaining good health; having the greatest wealth, which is the absence of illness in both mind and body.
        2. Sila: being possessed of discipline; conducting oneself well and properly, creating no trouble in the community.
        3. Buddhanumata: having a good example; studying and emulating great, enlightened beings.
        4. Suta: learning to be really learned; learning and seeking knowledge so as to be truly versed in one's subject; taking an interest in keeping updated.
        5. Dhammanuvatti: doing only what is right and good; firmly establishing oneself in righteousness; conducting both one's personal life and work with rectitude.
        6. Alinata: being energetic and diligent; being ardent, not given to discouragement or sluggishness; constantly striving forward.
(J.I.366)
 
B. Shutting off the channels of ruin : steering clear of the practices that are channels to ruin and destruction, and which lead to the dissipation of wealth, known as the six pathways to ruin (apaya-mukha):

    1) To be addicted to drink and drugs, which has six hazards:
            1. Wealth visibly dissipates.
            2. Brawls are caused.
            3. Health is impaired.
            4. Reputation is harmed.
            5. Indecent exposure and shamelessness result.
            6. Intelligence is reduced.
 
    2) To be always revelling in nightlife, which has six hazards:
            1. One's self is not protected.
            2. Wife and children are not protected.
            3. Wealth is not protected.
            4. One is susceptible to suspicion and doubt.
            5. One is exposed to slander and rumor.
            6. It leads to trouble of many a kind.
 
    3) To be bent on entertainment, which has a harmful effect on work because one is always preoccupied with forms of entertainment and wasting time frequenting them: where there is dancing, singing or music, there one goes.

    4) To be addicted to gambling, which has six hazards:
            1. When one wins, one gains enemies.
            2. When one loses, one bemoans one's lost wealth.
            3. Wealth visibly dissipates.
            4. One's word is not respected in meetings.
            5. One is an object of contempt for one's friends.
            6. One is not favored as a potential partner in life because one could not be trusted
                to raise a family.
 
    5) To consort with evil people, which has the harmful effect of turning one into an evil person just like any of the six kinds of evil persons one associates with: that is, having friends that lead one into becoming a gambler, a womanizer, a drunkard, a forger, a trickster or a hood.

    6) To be chronically lazy, which has the harmful effect of causing one to give all kinds of excuses for putting off the work that should be done; new wealth dos not arise, and old wealth dissipates. The six excuses for not working are "too cold," "too hot," "too late," "too early," "too hungry," and "too full".

(D.III.182)
 
C. Cementing relationships with one's parents: as a son or daughter, one should honor one's parents, who are compared to the "forward direction,"** in the following ways:
        1. Having been raised by them, one looks after them in return.
        2. One helps them in their work.
        3. One continues the family line and tradition.
        4. One behaves as is proper for an heir.
        5. When they have passed away, one performs meritorious acts and dedicates the merits to them.
(D.III.191)
 
D. Having the guarantee of a life that will progress : the Buddha stated that children are the foundations of the human race. The sons and daughters of a family are the children of a society. They should be given training which provides them with a basic capital for preparing them to advance in their education and life development to become valuable members of society. This can be achieved by instilling in them the qualities known as the auroras of a good life, or the dawn of education, of which there are seven, as follows:
        1. Seeking out sources of wisdom and good examples.
        2. Having discipline as a foundation for life development.
        3. Having a heart that aspires to learning and constructive action.
        4. Dedicating oneself to training for the realization of one's full human potential.
        5. Adhering to the principle of conditionality; seeing things according to cause and effect.
        6. Establishing oneself in heedfulness.
        7. Thinking wisely so as to realize benefit and see the truth. For explanations, see Introductory Section: Human Beings and Being Human, 1. Man, the Noble Being.
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