Being a pt Bartendar - Okay Livelihood?

[becomethepath]

Is it bad karma to be a bartender serving alcoholic drinks to customers?

[C T]

Bar tending, or any job for that matter, can be used as a spiritual advancement tool.

 

Its a good time (no pun intended) to practice Tonglen, for example.

 

With every drink you serve, wish the customer, in all sincerity and earnestness, to be quickly free of suffering, and when you get really advanced, you can visualize taking in their pain and addiction, and give them your accumulated merit in exchange. Then your heart will expand, and you learn to dwell in compassionate space all the time.

 

This will develop your bodhicitta for sure.

 

Good karma.

 

No probs then.

[Apech]

Is it bad karma to be a bartender serving alcoholic drinks to customers?

 

Depends how much you spill.

[thelerner]

Bar tending, or any job for that matter, can be used as a spiritual advancement tool.

 

Its a good time (no pun intended) to practice Tonglen, for example.

 

With every drink you serve, wish the customer, in all sincerity and earnestness, to be quickly free of suffering, and when you get really advanced, you can visualize taking in their pain and addiction, and give them your accumulated merit in exchange. Then your heart will expand, and you learn to dwell in compassionate space all the time.

 

This will develop your bodhicitta for sure. Good karma.

 

No probs then.

Great answer. It can be as good/spiritual as you make it. Which might be hard, but possible.

[Sloppy Zhang]

I also support the "is it what you make it" position.

 

Also gotta be a great way to people watch.

[Friend]

Edited August 17, 2013 by Friend

[i am]

Where I live, the bars are a very social scene. Not in a meat market way, but in a way to catch up with friends you normally don't see otherwise, and have a good time. Sure, there are the troubled people, but for the most part they're pretty positive, healthy places, at least until midnight or so. And even after that they aren't too bad.

 

I would have a hard time in the service industry in general, and wouldn't want to tend bar, but around here anyway, it would be a positive, happy experience 90% of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[becomethepath]

well lets say i'm compassionate and positive to the patrons, let's say the patron leaves the bar and gets into a car accident or throws up on the side walk, will the bad karma be on my hands since i'm the one that served him alcohol? Let's say he gets a dui and now his life is ruined?

 

And isn't one of the buddhist percepts "cannot sell intoxicants or alcohol" though? Selling alcohol is a major breach of a percept according to a google search.

Edited July 1, 2013 by becomethepath

[C T]

well lets say i'm compassionate and positive to the patrons, let's say the patron leaves the bar and gets into a car accident or throws up on the side walk, will the bad karma be on my hands since i'm the one that served him alcohol? Let's say he gets a dui and now his life is ruined?

Guilt is often confused with karma. These are 2 different conditions, although sometimes one can superimpose on the other, but not necessarily so.

 

One cannot be held liable for others' lack of judgement, foolish carry-ons, and irresponsible behaviors. If we were accountable in this way, we'd all be doomed, wouldn't we?

 

Get a wider perspective on this. Think of all those whose work center around saving lives, for instance. Doctors, paramedics, firefighters, emergency response cops -- all front line people who have to deal with precarious situations every day... how do they do it?

 

You do your job and when time's up, you pack it in and go home. Simple as that. If people want to mess with their lives by over-consuming alcohol, surely thats not going to be on your head?

 

Btw, i have been in the service industry for well over 30 years, and on the odd occasion, i have had to ring cops to tell them that some guy had gotten into his car drunk and attempting to drive in that state. I had to intervene for his own good, and for the good of others.

 

Lastly, you dont get repercussions for others throwing up after too much drink. For sure.

Edited July 1, 2013 by C T

[Songtsan]

Great question...I am sure the original Buddha would say no - bad occupation, but that new Buddhas would say yes - OK if you are pure in heart....if your job stresses you out, causes you guilt though - eventually find another, or else come to peace with it...alcohol is toxic, and you are serving toxins to others, yet alcohol is also fun and you are enabling other to have fun. As others stated, its bad/good, so you should probably feel OK/not-OK about it. In psychology they call this a 'cognitive dissonance' I am in a similar bind when it comes to eating meat. I dont buy it, generally try not to eat it, but if someone is going to throw some food out that is good, I will eat it, but I still feel guilty, becomes animals died and suffered for it. Crazy world.

[steve]

Is it bad karma to be a bartender serving alcoholic drinks to customers?

Karma is nothing more than the actions you choose and the how they play out.

Your approach to the job is what determines your karma, not the job description.

[Songtsan]

Karma is nothing more than the actions you choose and the how they play out.

Your approach to the job is what determines your karma, not the job description.

 

also, this: karma = action as stated, but the fruits are often the way we feel about something post-effect. If you feel guilty, or remorse, then that is your karma right there. Fruits of karma are simply more actions, more effects from causative action, but often the actions resulting from other actions act within us more than without. Things that happened in the past way long ago continue to exist and create trouble bubbles in head/heart!

Edited July 1, 2013 by Songtsan

[Jainarayan]

It might be your dharma, path or duty, to be available for someone to turn to. It can and should be what you make it, hopefully positive from negative. Doesn't Taoism say don't overthink, do what seems right, "throw it against the wall and see what sticks"?