(32) According to Buddhism, so long as an individual would cling to a sound outlook on life and see the world from the perspective of a Buddhism-conditioned mental horizon, he or she can be always in the right frame of mind to treat everyday occurrences rationally and to act reasonably. As a result he or she would not be exasperated by afflictions or tormented by sorrow. A great number of the lay people tend to consume their lives either by wasting their time and energy in striving to capture goals that are completely unattainable or by following some wrong methods in pursuing their goals. Thus they are bound to be frustrated and may even go forlorn and desperate. The origin of their failures is in their wrong outlook on life. Although some people can be very successful in bringing their careers to the acme of overwhelming splendor, yet they may not be smart enough to avert the intrusion, upon their awareness, of saddening ennui and unanchoredness in the private hours of their life. However there are those who, though earning their honest livelihood by doing very humble jobs, can enjoy a very meaningful life. That is why Buddhism would hold that to attain enlightenment necessitates neither a monastic life nor a dignified occupation. Carrying on self-cultivation has nothing to do with a practitioner’s trade or occupation, so long as he or she would sincerely and diligently fulfill his or her obligations and responsibilities to benefit others. Dutifulness and sense of responsibility on the part of an individual indicate that he or she has owned the right and mature outlook on life.