Dana (Generosity principle)
“If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were someone to receive their gift”
The Buddha itivuttaka 26
Dana
Dharmagiri runs on the principle of Dana following the ancient practice of the Buddhist lineage where teachings are offered freely. Dana means ‘generosity’ or ‘free will offering’. Those who receive teachings at Dharmagiri do so through the generosity of others, and likewise the gifts of retreatants make it possible for future practitioners and those who do not have resources access to the teachings and practice at Dharmagiri. This is sustainable when those who have more or a great deal of resources offer more so that people with less can still participate.
The Principle
Dating back to the time of the Buddha the teachings are given freely since they are considered beyond monetary value. There has always existed an inter-dependence between those who offer teachings and those who receive them which is symbolized in the daily alms round of Buddhist monks and nuns who rely on the generosity of lay people for support in continuing their spiritual life. In kind the monastics can devote their time fully to preserving and practising the teaching. This relationship of mutual giving embodies a ‘sacred contract’ that enlivens the teachings and keeps their transmission pure.
At Dharmagiri we hold faith to this principle which offers an opportunity to connect with a 2,550 year tradition of transmission that is deeply bedded in a web of devotion, offering, and commitment. Dana also supports the teachers who give their time, expertise, and experience freely and supports those who live at Dharmagiri as community members and as managers, (who are unwaged or stipended) without whom the centre could not operate.
Making an offering
While the teachings are offered freely, the upkeep of Dharmagiri takes considerable financial resources. An approximate daily rate which supports each retreatant is between R250, at the bare minimum, to R300. Besides considering contributing to the daily practical upkeep of the hermitage, there is an opportunity to contribute Dana at the end of your stay into the three baskets, for Dharmagiri the teachers and the managers, that are in the meditation room.
The practice of wise giving and its results
According to the Buddha sharing whatever we have, whether it be money, time, work, nurture or resources, is one of the central pillars of a spiritual life. In the act of giving we develop our ability to let go and cultivate a spirit of caring. An act of generosity can be a spontaneous outpouring due the heart being touched or the desire to support that which we are aligned to. However generosity is also a practice that undermines grasping and helps us move beyond self centred-ness. On a larger scale generosity enables a stable and cohesive family, society and world.
When you make an offering it is encouraged to do so with mindfulness, with a heart that lets go, with a heart of loving kindness and with no manipulation or agenda regards the result. This doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be careful monitoring of the results of sharing our resources and consideration of wise gifts, but in the moment of actually offering, free the heart from grasping and wish for the welfare of the other.
The karmic result of generosity is to live with abundance, to live fearlessly and to live open hearted with a strong sense of kinship and interconnectedness within the web of life. May it be so for you!
