Whether to leave a job
The Buddha gave householders economic advice that is more practical than people expect: diligence, guarding what you have earned, good company, and living within your means. Money worry is named plainly and given its place — below blamelessness. The suttas will not decide this for you, and restlessness is not by itself a reason to move.
What the suttas say
Byagghapajja, these four things lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in this life. What four? Accomplishment in initiative, protection, good friendship, and balanced finances.
Dīghajāṇu — the Buddha's household economics.
AN 8.54:2.1–2.3 · With Dīghajāṇu
Cattārome, byagghapajja, dhammā kulaputtassa diṭṭhadhammahitāya saṁvattanti diṭṭhadhammasukhāya. Katame cattāro? Uṭṭhānasampadā, ārakkhasampadā, kalyāṇamittatā, samajīvitā.
Householder, these four kinds of happiness can be earned by a layperson who enjoys sensual pleasures, depending on time and occasion. What four? The happiness of ownership, using wealth, debtlessness, and blamelessness.
Money worry in the Buddha's own frame; blamelessness outweighs the rest.
AN 4.62:2.1–2.3 · Debtlessness
Cattārimāni, gahapati, sukhāni adhigamanīyāni gihinā kāmabhoginā kālena kālaṁ samayena samayaṁ upādāya. Katamāni cattāri? Atthisukhaṁ, bhogasukhaṁ, ānaṇyasukhaṁ, anavajjasukhaṁ.
“Mendicants, a lay follower should not engage in these five trades. What five? Trade in weapons, living creatures, meat, intoxicants, and poisons. A lay follower should not engage in these five trades.”
The explicit list of wrong livelihood.
Where this stops: A short list; most modern ethical dilemmas at work are not on it and need the speech and action teachings instead.
AN 5.177:1.1–1.4 · Trades
“Pañcimā, bhikkhave, vaṇijjā upāsakena akaraṇīyā. Katamā pañca? Satthavaṇijjā, sattavaṇijjā, maṁsavaṇijjā, majjavaṇijjā, visavaṇijjā— imā kho, bhikkhave, pañca vaṇijjā upāsakena akaraṇīyā”ti.
So gain and loss, fame and disgrace, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain don’t occupy their mind. They don’t favor gain or oppose loss. They don’t favor fame or oppose disgrace. They don’t favor praise or oppose blame. They don’t favor pleasure or oppose pain.
The difference the Buddha draws between a well-taught noble disciple and an untaught ordinary person is not that praise and blame stop coming — both meet them — but that for the disciple they no longer take over the mind.
Where this stops: It describes a disciple who reflects that each condition is impermanent; it is a training, not a mood to put on after a bad review. Not a reply to bullying or harassment at work, and not a reason to say unfair criticism does not matter.
AN 8.6:6.1–6.5 · Worldly Conditions (2nd)
Tassa lābhopi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, alābhopi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, yasopi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, ayasopi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, nindāpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, pasaṁsāpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, sukhampi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, dukkhampi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati. So uppannaṁ lābhaṁ nānurujjhati, alābhe nappaṭivirujjhati; uppannaṁ yasaṁ nānurujjhati, ayase nappaṭivirujjhati; uppannaṁ pasaṁsaṁ nānurujjhati, nindāya nappaṭivirujjhati; uppannaṁ sukhaṁ nānurujjhati, dukkhe nappaṭivirujjhati.
As the wind cannot stir a solid mass of rock, so too blame and praise do not affect the wise.
The same teaching in four lines, short enough to carry into a meeting.
Where this stops: An image of the wise, not a demand to feel nothing when criticized.
Dhp 81:1–4 · 6. The Astute
Selo yathā ekaghano, vātena na samīrati; Evaṁ nindāpasaṁsāsu, na samiñjanti paṇḍitā.