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Happy
New Year!
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The
Urban Dharma Newsletter... January 6, 2004
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In
This Issue: Dana - Generosity
1.
Giving ('Dana')
2. In Praise of Dana (Giving)
3. Dana - The Practice of Generosity
4. Heartland raises money for service projects ...by Janet
Lipner
5. Dana in Early Buddhism ...by U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
Yangon
6. Temple/Center/Website- of the Week:
The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
7. Book/CD/Movie Review: Dana :
Giving and Getting in Pali Buddhism
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The
Urbandharma.org Stats for 2003
2003
UrbanDharma.org: 110,000 vistors
- 380,000 page views - 1,700,000 hits
1.
Giving ('Dana')
http://buddhism.about.com/library/weekly/aa100402a.htm
Giving
More, Wanting Less
From
the Buddhist perspective, the cause of our suffering is craving
or tanha. Such craving has its root in ignorance and greed.
We want to get more, have more, possess more, thinking that
it will bring us happiness. What we already have we want to
hang on to as if it is something that we can have forever. Buddhism
teaches the opposite of this. If we want to be without suffering
we must destroy craving. Instead of becoming obsessed with having
and hanging on to things, therefore, it is better to practice
giving or dana. This is a virtue that is found at the heart
of all schools of Buddhism. In Mahayana Buddhism it is the first
of the the six perfections on the Bodhisattva Path.
Good
Fortune
Giving
can take many forms. The most obvious form of giving is material
things but we can also give less tangible things such as our
time, energy and thoughts. Indeed, as humans we are very fortunate
in that our opportunities for giving are limitless. Those of
us with families find that giving is an inevitable part of daily
life. Similarly at work, we are involved in giving our service
to others in many different ways. We can give to a whole gamut
of charities. And we can even contribute to the overall good
of society through the payment of taxes! Sometimes - in very
extreme circumstances - people are even prepared to give up
their own lives for the sake of others.
One
special form of giving in Buddhism, however, is the giving of
the dharma or truth/teaching. In the Dhammapada it says: 'the
Gift of the Dharma excels all other gifts'. To share the teachings
of Buddhism, therefore, is seen as very special, exceeding other
kinds of gifts. This is because by explaining the teachings
of Buddhism you are giving someone the opportunity to liberate
themselves from the world of suffering and to reach nirvana.
Karma
The
benefits of giving are seen in its karmic effects. Giving leads
to being reborn in happy states and material wealth. Alternatively,
lack of giving leads to unhappy states and poverty. The early
scriptures state that giving to virtuous people is more meritorious
than giving to non-virtuous people: 'By giving a gift to the
immoral ordinary person, the offering may be expected to repay
a hundredfold. By giving a gift to a virtuous ordinary person,
the offering may be expected to repay a hundred thousandfold'
(The Dakkhinavibhanga Sutta). The Buddha goes on to say: 'in
no way does a gift to a person individually ever have greater
fruit than an offering made to the Sangha'.
Motivation
A
key factor in giving is motivation. Unfortunately, giving can
often have a degree of selfishness within it. Sometimes, when
we give, hidden somewhere within us is the notion that we will
benefit from it in some way. This could be the thought of the
good merit that we will earn or we will be liked or appreciated.
The purest giving, however, has no such motivation behind it,
only the thought of how the recipient will benefit.
The
exquisite paradox in Buddhism is that the more we give - and
the more we give without seeking something in return - the more
wealthy (in the broadest sense of the word) we will become.
By giving we destroy those acquisitive impulses that ultimately
lead to further suffering.
2.
In Praise of Dana (Giving)
http://www.kalavinka.org/jewels/nagajuna/mppu/webdana/danaprse.htm
From
Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom (Dharmamitra
Translation)
Question:
What benefits does dana bestow that the bodhisattva abiding
in the prajnaparamita therefore fully perfects it?
Response:
Dana brings all manner of benefits. Dana serves as a treasury
which constantly follows along with a person. Dana destroys
suffering and bestows bliss upon people. Dana is a good guide
which shows the way to the heavens. Dana is a storehouse of
goodness for it draws in good people. ({Chinese Textual Note:}
Giving draws in good people as a result of one's setting up
causes and conditions {i.e. karmic affinities} with them. Hence
the text reads "draws in.")
Dana
constitutes [a source of] peace and security. When one reaches
the end of one's life one's mind is without fear. Dana is a
mark of loving kindness. It is able to rescue everyone. Dana
is able to gather together blisses and is able to rout the invaders
of suffering. Dana is a great general which is able to defeat
the enemy of miserliness.
Dana
is a marvelous fruit which is loved by gods and men. Dana is
a path of purity travelled by the worthies and aryas. Dana is
the entryway for the accumulation of goodness and meritorious
qualities. Dana is a condition for the accomplishment of works
and for the gathering together of a multitude. Dana is the seed
of the treasured fruit of good actions. Dana is the mark of
the good person endowed with meritorious karma.
Dana
destroys poverty and cuts one off from the three wretched destinies.
Dana is able to preserve and protect the fruit of blessings
and bliss. Dana is the primary condition for the realization
of nirvana. It is the essential dharma for entry into the multitude
of good people. It is the vast repository of good repute and
praiseful commendation. It provides the quality of being free
of difficulties in the midst of the multitudes. It is the cavernous
mansion of the mind's freedom from regret. It is the origin
of good dharmas and of one's cultivation of the Way. It is the
dense forest of every manner of delight and bliss. It is the
field of blessings for the reaping of wealth, nobility and peaceful
security. It is the bridge across to the realization of the
Way and entry into nirvana. It is traversed by the aryas, the
great masters, and those possessed of wisdom. It is that which
everyone else, those of minor virtue and lesser intelligence,
should emulate.
3.
Dana - The Practice of Generosity
http://www.cloudmountain.org/dana_&_teacher_support.htm
Often
we are asked various questions about "Dana". We hope
this brief explanation (written by Kamala Masters and Steve
Armstrong) will begin to open your awareness more fully around
this integral part of the path of practice.
Dana
is the practice of developing the qualities of generosity, kindness,
and letting go. We develop these qualities because they make
fertile ground for liberating wisdom to grow deep in our hearts.
Often
our practice of generosity and kindness comes from our routine
habitual tendencies, because it is the custom, through a feeling
of guilt, or simply because it's the 'nice' thing to do. Taking
the opportunity to make 'dana' a practice of awareness, brings
it out of the realm of unconscious habit, and into the realm
of wise attention. In this awareness practice of generosity,
we begin to see how our lives can be elevated when we bring
a conscious awareness around opportunities to be generous, to
be kind, and to let go.
Because
dana is a 'practice', with awareness and honesty we allow ourselves
to experience how liberating and happiness-producing it feels
to let go, and where it is painful because it is challenging
to let go. We call dana a practice, and that implies that we
are doing just that... practicing letting go. Which also implies
that it is not easy to do sometimes.
When
we practice generosity, many supportive qualities of mind are
being developed that lead us to ever-deepening happiness and
freedom. We are cultivating loving kindness because we are caring
for the welfare of others. We are cultivating compassion because
we want to alleviate any suffering. We are cultivating the understanding
of interconnectedness because we realize that we depend on the
generosity and kindness of others, and they also depend upon
ours. Most of all, we are cultivating non-attachment, the ability
to let go, which is essential to understanding and experiencing
freedom from suffering.
We
must understand dana in terms of 'practice'. Dana is not a tip,
nor is it in exchange for receiving the Teachings of the Buddha.
It is a way in which we can express gratitude and practice our
kindness, generosity and letting go with awareness.
Dana
is one of the Three Pillars of the Dharma. The other two are
the cultivation of harmonious living (Sila), and the development
of wisdom (Panna). During the time of the Buddha, and up to
this time in Asian countries, the teachings begin with the cultivation
of generosity, the first pillar of the dharma. But when the
Teachings of the Buddha came to the West, the teaching of wisdom
came first, without much emphasis on the two other foundational
pillars (harmonious living and generosity). However, now many
of us are beginning to see the importance of sharing the practice
of dana and sila, otherwise those pillars will be a weak in
our Western culture. It is important for all Three Pillars of
the Dharma to support the continuation of the Teachings of the
Buddha in the West in a strong and balanced way.
4.
Heartland raises money for service projects ...by Janet
Lipner
http://www.heartlandsangha.org/engagedbuddhism.html
If I am not for myself, who will be?
If I am only for myself, what am I?
If not now, when?
—The Talmud
Our
first dana of the new year went to the Seva Foundation to be
used to perform cataract surgery on a Tibetan nomad. This type
of blindness causes more than half of the world's blindness.
Besides surgical procedures, Seva is a group that handles blindness
prevention, and promotes healing by training the local inhabitants.
Many of the recipients are in Asian countries, such as India,
Tibet, Nepal, & Cambodia. There are also Native American
and Mayan projects to assist in diabetes control and reclaiming
sacred sites. We appreciate Seva's respect for the spirit and
culture of various communities and that it seeks long-term solutions
to help people to become self reliant. Their advertising uses
Buddhist motifs but does not mention Buddhism.
Our
next two collections went to CARE for Kosovo refugee emergency
efforts. In the largest refugee movement since World War II,
CARE is helping the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia,
and Albania by receiving new arrivals, establishing their placement
in tents, managing food and non-food distribution, providing
medical services, and tracing children and families to reunite
them. In Yugoslavia alone, they have distributed 237 metric
tons of food and 400,000 eggs.
More
locally, Heartland Sangha gave two tables to the Lake Street
Church, Evanston, who recently hosted Visakha again. Richard
Brandon played a major role in acquiring them at a fair price
and saving us hefty delivery charges by delivering them himself.
At
each meeting, we also collect non-perishable foodstuffs, such
as canned goods, and some household necessities for a Cambodian
family in Chicago. Asayo does the delivery each month and reports
that they are very glad to receive them.
We
are practicing the paramita dana in these many varied ways.
I am glad that we are willing and able to share.
5.
Dana in Early Buddhism ... Edited and Translated by U Ko
Lay and U Tin Lwin Yangon, Myanmar
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/mingun2.htm
(19) Offering made to one or two separate, individual persons
is Puggalika-dana; Offering made to the whole Order of Bhikkhus,
the Sangha, is Sanghika-dana. Sangha means group, assemblage
or community; here, the whole community of the Ariya disciples
of the Buddha is meant. In making an offering intended for the
Sangha, the donor must have in his mind not the individual Ariya
disciples that constitute the Order, but the community of the
Ariya disciples as a whole. Then only, his offerings will be
of the Sanghika type.
Dakkhinavibhanga Sutta (of Majjhima Nikaya Pali Canon) gives
an enumeration of 14 kinds of gifts to individuals, Puggalika
dana, and 7 kinds of gifts to the Sangha, Sanghika dana. It
is useful to know them.
14
kinds of gifts to individuals
* (1) Offering made to a Buddha,
* (2) Offering made to a Pacceka-Buddha, a non-teaching Buddha,
* (3) Offering made to an Arahat or to one who has attained
the Arahattaphala stage,
* (4) Offering made to one who is striving to realise Arahattaphala
or one who has attained the Arahattamagga stage,
* (5) Offering made to an Anagami or to one who has attained
the Anagamiphala stage,
* (6) Offering made to one who is striving to realise Anagamiphala
or one who has attained the Anagamimagga stage,
* (7) Offering made to Sakadagami or to one who has attained
the Sakadagamiphala stage,
* (8) Offering made to one who is striving to realise Sakadagamiphala
or one who has attained Sakadagamimagga stage,
* (9) Offering made to a Sotapanna or to one who has attained
the Sotapatti stage,
* (10) Offering made to one who is striving to realise Sotapattiphala
or one who has attained Sotapattimagga stage,
* (11) Offering made to recluses (outside the Teachings of the
Buddha or when the Teaching is not extant) who are accomplished
in Jhana or Supernormal Power attainments,
* (12) Offerings made to an ordinary lay person who is possessed
of morality,
* (13) Offerings made to an ordinary lay person who is devoid
of morality, and
* (14) Offering made to an animal.
Of these 14 kinds of offering made to individuals, giving one
full meal to an animal will bring wholesome results of long
life, good looks, physical well-being, strength, and intelligence
for one hundred lives. Then in an ascending order, giving one
full meal to a lay person of poor morality will bring these
wholesome results for one thousand lives; to a lay person of
good morality at a time when Buddha's teachings are not extant
and he has no opportunity to take refuge in the Triple Gem,
for a hundred thousand lives; to recluses and ascetics accompli
shed in Jhana attainments, for ten billion lives; to lay men
and novitiates (during a period when the teaching. of Buddha
are extant) who take refuge in the Triple Gem , and up to the
Noble person who has attained the Sotapattimagga. for an innumerable
period (asankhyeyya) of lives; and to persons of higher attainment
up to the Buddha, for countless periods of lives. (According
to the Commentary, even one who only takes refuge in the Triple
Gem may be considered as a person who is practising for realisation
of Sotapattiphala).
There is no mention of bhikkhus of loose morality in the above
list of 14 kinds of recipients of offerings made to individuals.
The Buddha's enumeration of offering made to a person devoid
of morality concerns only the period when the Buddha's Teaching
is not extant. For these reasons, there is a tendency to consider
that offerings made to bhikkhus of impure morality while the
Buddha's teachings are still extant are blameworthy. But one
should remember that any one who has become a Buddhist at the
very least takes refuge in the Triple Gem; and the Commentary
says that whoever takes refuge in the Triple Gem is a person
who is practising for realisation of Sotapatti phala. Furthermore
when an offering made to an ordinary lay person devoid of morality
(while the Teaching of Buddha is not extant) could be of much
benefit, there is no doubt that offerings made to an ordinary
lay person devoid of morality while the Teaching of the Buddha
is still extant could be beneficial too.
Again, in the Milinda-Panha Text,, Nagasena Thera explains that
an immoral bhikkhu is superior to an immoral lay person in ten
respects such as reverence shown to the Buddha, reverence shown
to the Dhamma, reverence shown to the Sangha etc. Thus, according
to the Milinda Panha, an immoral bhikkhu is superior to an immoral
lay person; and since he is listed by the Commentary as one
who is practising for realisation of Sotapattiphala, one should
not say that it is blameworthy and fruitless to make an offering
to a bhikkhu devoid of morality.
There is yet another point of view in connection with this matter.
At a time when there is no Teaching of the Buddha, immoral bhikkhus
cannot cause any harm to the Teaching; but when the Teaching
is in existence, they can bring harm to it. For that reason,
no offering should be made to bhikkhus devoid of morality during
the period when there is the Buddha's Teaching. But that view
is shown by the Buddha to be untenable.
At the conclusion of the discourse on seven kinds of offerings
to the Sangha, Sanghika-dana (see below), the Buddha explains
to Ananda:
"Ananda, in times to come, there will appear vile bhikkhus,
devoid of morality, who are bhikkhus only in name, who will
wear their robes round their necks. With the intention of giving
to the Sangha, offerings will be made to these immoral bhikkhus.
Even when offered in this manner, a Sanghika-dana, an offering
meant for the whole Sangha, I declare, will bring innumerable,
inestimable benefits."
There is still another point to take into consideration. Of
the Four Purities of Generosity (Dakkhina Visuddhi), the first
Purity is: Even if the donee is of impure morality, when the
donor is moral, the offering is pure by reason of purity of
the donor. For these reasons also, one should not say that an
immoral bhikkhu is not a donee, and that no benefit will accrue
by making an offering to him.
It should be well noted, therefore, it is blameworthy only when
we make an offering with bad intentions of approving and encouraging
an immoral bhikkhu in his evil practices; without taking into
considerations his habits, if one makes the offering with a
pure mind, thinking only 'one should give if some one comes
for a donation', it is quite blameless.
Seven
kinds of gifts to the Sangha, Sanghika-dana
* (1) Offering made to the community of both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis
led by the Buddha, while the Buddha. is still living.
* (2) Offering made to the community of both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis
after Parinibbana of the Buddha;
* (3) Offering made to the community of bhikkhus only;
* (4) Offering made to the community of bhikkhunis only;
* (5) Offering made (with the whole Sangha in mind.) to a. group
of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis as nominated by the Order, such an
offering is made when the donor could not afford to give offerings
to all the bhikkhus. and bhikkhunis; the donor approaches the
Order and requests it to nominate a certain number (he could
afford to give) of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis to receive his offerings.
The Sangha nominates the required number of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis
and the donor makes his offerings to that group of bhikkhus
and bhikkhunis (with the whole Sangha in mind);
* (8) Offering made to a group of Bhikkhus only (with the whole
Sangha in mind) after requesting the Sangha to nominate the
number he could afford to give; and
* (7) Offering made (with the whole of Sangha in mind) to a
group of Bhikkhunis only after requesting the Sangha to nominate
(he number he could afford to give.
Of these seven kinds of Sanghika-dana, it may be asked if it
is possible to make an offering of the first kind, namely, an
offering made to the community of both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis
led by the Buddha, after the Parinibbana of the Buddha. The
answer is 'Yes, it is possible' and the offer should be made
in this manner: after placing a statue of the Buddha containing
relics in front of the community of both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis
who have gathered for the ceremony, the offering should be made,
saying, 'I make this offering to the community of both bhikkhus
and bhikkhunis led by the Buddha'.
Having done an offering of the first kind, the question arises
as to what happens to the objects of offering intended for the
Buddha. Just as the property of the father customarily goes
to the son, so too should the offerings intended for the Buddha
go to the bhikkhu who does devotional duties to the Buddha or
to the community of bhikkhus. Especially, if the objects offered
include such materials as oil, ghee, etc. they should be utilized
in offering of lights by oil lamps to the Buddha; pieces of
cloth included in the offering should be made into banners and
streamers to be offered in worship.
During the Buddha's lifetime, people were generally not disposed
to form attachment to or concerning them selves with, individual
personalities; they had their mind bent on the Order of bhikkhus
as a whole, and thus were able to make much offering of the
noble Sanghika-dana kind. Consequently, the needs of the members
of the Order were mostly met by the distributions made by the
Order; they had little need to rely on lay man and lay woman
donors and therefore had little attachment to them as 'the donors
of my monastery, the donors of my robes etc.' Thus, the bhikkhu
could be free of bonds of attachments.
6.
The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
http://www.dharma.org/bcbs/index.htm
The
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies is a non-profit educational
organization dedicated to bringing together teachers, students,
scholars and practitioners who are committed to exploring Buddhist
thought and practice as a living tradition, faithful to its
origins and lineage, yet adaptable and alive in the current
world. The center’s purpose is to encourage the integration
of study and practice, and to investigate the relationship between
scholarly understanding and meditative insight. It encourages
engagement with the tradition in a spirit of genuine inquiry.
The
study center offers a variety of opportunities for research
and study, including courses, workshops, conferences, retreats
and independent programs. The BCBS program is rooted in the
classical tradition of the earliest teachings and practices,
but its mission calls for the exploration of all schools of
Buddhism and for dialogue with other religious and scientific
traditions.
The
study center in Barre offers a variety of programs from two
resident scholars and a wide range of visiting faculty. A rich
diversity of topics are covered for those interested in the
Buddhist tradition and meditation practice. Programs range from
one-day and weekend offerings, to five or seven days; some are
as long as two weeks. Special programs include:
The
Nalanda Program offers a model for the serious academic
study of Buddhism, such as one might undertake at a college
or graduate school. Six to eight hours of daily classroom time
is balanced by morning and evening meditation sessions, as well
as informal time for discussion, reading or walking in the countryside.
Credit may be available from your college or university.
The
Bhavana Program offers a new model for combining the benefits
of meditation with insight into the teachings of the Buddhist
tradition. Most of the day is spent in silent meditation, much
like a classical vipassana retreat, but each day also includes
a morning study period focusing on texts carefully chosen to
complement and inform the on-going practice of meditation.
The
Buddhist Psychology Program investigates in depth the early
Buddhist science of mind growing out of its profound contemplative
practices, and explores the growing interface between Buddhist
thought and modern psychology. Through an affiliation with the
Institute of Meditation and Psychotherapy, CE credits are available
for most mental health and other professionals.
The
Independent Study Program is for experienced students who
may be looking for a quiet place to investigate the Buddhist
tradition on their own through the integration of study and
practice. We welcome scholars to come and experience the benefits
of a contemplative environment for their work, and we invite
meditators to explore the benefits of the academic inquiry into
the Buddhist tradition.
7.
Dana : Giving and Getting in Pali Buddhism ...Ellison Banks
Findly. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 2003, xvi, 432 p., $25.
ISBN 81-208-1956-x.
http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no32458.htm
Contents:
Foreword/Alex Wayman. Preface. Introduction. 1. Buddhist donation:
a religious response to a changing world. 2. Redefining relationships:
the new donor. 3. Resources to requisites: gifts to the gone
forth. 4. Giving gifts. 5. Receiving gifts. 6. Making, using,
and transferring merit. 7. Renunciation and property. 8. Monastic
strategies for encouraging Dana: curbing misbehavior and generating
goodwill. 9. The renunciant as facilitator: the case of Ananda.
Final thoughts. Bibliography. Index.
"This
book argues that donation (dana) is one of the central practices
in early Buddhism for, without it, Buddhism would not have survived
and flourished in the many centuries of its development and
expansion. Early Buddhist donation draws on older Vedic beliefs
and practices, especially those involving funeral ceremonies
and the ritual transfiguration of the ancestors (pitrs). Buddhist
relationship between donors and renunciants developed quickly
into a complex web that involves material life and the views
about how to attend to it. Questions of how to properly acquire
and use wealth, how to properly give and receive individual
and communal gifts, how to think about using and transferring
merit, and what constitutes proper food, robes, lodging, and
medicine are central to the "dana contract".
"The
dana system reflects the changing dynamics of life in Northern
India as wealth and leisure time increase, and as newly powerful
groups of people look around for alternative religious affiliation.
Buddhist dana’s great success is due to the early and
continuing use of accommodation with other faiths as a foundational
value, thus allowing the tradition to adapt to changing circumstances."
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