New Era of Enterprises for the Greater Good?

Here's a New York Times article showcasing how the billionaires are doing it...

Going beyond simple fund raising, businesses are entering the industries traditionally managed by charities and government organizations. From fighting poverty, diseases research to distribution of water to villages, businesses are created to address these issues with sustainable revenue streams - at a profit.

Buddhist organizations have long been relying on donations almost entirely. As a result, only the few big organizations get the lion's share of donations, while the rest struggling with lack of funds and management talents. With all due respect, instead of playing creativity to create more bigger better statues, Buddha halls, relic tours, rituals to attract more merit conscious followers (from each other) and in turn increase donations; wouldn't it be better to use the energy and resources to value add to society's spiritual education and moral fabric?

For many, associating profits and money to priceless Holy Dharma seemed to be linked to "dirty" greed and corruption. Is this view still realistic and practical in this era? Suffering is everywhere, everywhere we turn we hear people whining about their lives... even the wellness industry is maturing with ample (eg.Chinese) foreign talents. What are Singapore Buddhist organizations doing to address this growing market demand for happiness? Perhaps it is time for for new enterprises to create a Buddhist culture of happiness for the masses?

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This is a nice contribution, I want to share my reflections and experiences too!

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